Reunited Family
by Aerilon452
Summary: John and Helen were once lovers that produced a child, but what if Ashley was not their only daughter. What if she was supposed to have a win? Chase left home at 15 to keep from hurting her family. Now she comes home to find her sister gone.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

**REUNITED FAMILY:**

Helen knew she had no choice, none at all; she would have to contact Chase. A year ago Chase had ceased all contact, and Helen thought it was due to her setting up the Sanctuary in South America. Helen respected her younger daughter's space, even encouraged it, but for her to bring Chase out of hiding meant that Helen Magnus was out of options. She pulled out her phone, letting her finger hover over the send key. Helen hit send and waited for Chase to pick up. There was a slight click in the line, and then she was redirected to another number. It was odd for Chase to do something like this. Now was not the time to analyze why Chase had stopped contacting home.

"What?"

"Chase," Helen paused. What could she say over the phone, "Be ready, I'm sending someone for you." Then Helen disconnected. She set down her cell and looked up as John entered her office. They had both been shaken by what they had seen, Ashley was no longer theirs. Her pain reverberated in John, but she was too proud to say anything about it, just a she knew John would not broach the subject.

"John."

"Helen." John locked eyes with her. Pain and hatred burned in her eyes, just as pain and hatred burned in his heart.

"I need you to go to South America, Chase is waiting for you." Helen said quickly, she was about to choke on her unshed tears. As soon as John left, Helen had no doubt that she would break down and cry out all her pain.

"Why South America?" But John already knew the answer. His second daughter, Chase, lived there. He had seen her there on more than one occasion, but John was not about to tell Helen that.

"Chase is there obviously, I've told her to ready, and to expect you." Helen made her voice cold, distant, fighting like hell to keep the tears at bay.

John bowed, "As the lady wishes, but when I get back we are going to talk." And then he was gone before she could tell him to get out.

**SOUTH AMERICA:**

Chase couldn't believe that her own mother had cut her off; she flat out hung up on her. Something had to be really serious for Helen Magnus, leader of the Sanctuary network, to be calling her. Now Chase had to change direction and run, leaving behind a new life that she was slowly rebuilding and she had to go back to the family she willinly left to protect them from her savagery. Heading for a back road Chase pulled over, got out of her car and popped the trunk where she grabbed a bag that contained several sets of clothes and a few weapons. All she had to do was wait. The wind changed, someone came up behind, before Chase could react they were at Sanctuary. She turned and saw her father, John Druitt. Chase's first action was to drop her bag and wrap her arms around her father, the father that had saved her life. His arms, in turn, embraced her.

"Chase?"

Chase let go of her father and turned to face her mother, "Mother," she moved away from John and into Helen's open arms. The scent of pain and sadness lingered on the air, choking Chase, but her mother was holding and that clawing feeling abated. As much as Chase would love to hold onto her mother she had to get answers, she needed to know why she ran from South America.

"What's happened?"

"Ashley… is…"

"The Cabal has your sister," John spoke through the charged silence. Two set of eyes settled on him, Helen glared, while Chase looked scared.

Chase backed away, the air going out of her lungs, shock settling low in her gut. Her escape from the Cabal had been a lie; they had merely found a way to get to Ashley. She wanted to be sick. Taking her right hand Chase covered the needle marks where the IV had been. The Cabal had made her a guinea pig just to make sure the DNA manipulation would hold in Ashley, Chase was nothing more than an expendable lab rat. "They did to her what they tried to do to me." Chase growled.

Before they had taken her she had been an abnormal already, predisposed to feline genetics. Her DNA was closely related to that of a Tiger, and it was that DNA that helped her to resist the experiment the Cabal had conducted on her. She had only been free of them for about eight weeks, due in large part to her father rescuing her, other wise she would have died in their lab and more people would have died in her attempt to escape. As it stood now Chase was responsible for twenty-five people deaths. She had John Druitt to thank for her blood lust, her need to kill.

"What do you mean?" Helen asked as Chase uncurled her arms. There she could see needle marks. Some had to be from injections, others had to be from IV lines.

"They took me about a year ago, were they tried to brain wash me, but my animal nature only bent so far before…" Chase paused and rubbed at the crook of her arm, "Before they got more aggressive, then came the hourly injections, of what I have no clue, but I could feel myself changing on a cellular level. Then…"

"Helen, I've been going over…"

Chase whirled around and her claws extended, a deadly hiss issuing low in her throat. She wanted to strike but her muscles locked up, her entire body went rigid. The man, if you could call him that, was the reason half her DNA was changed, however unwilling he had been when it happed, "You bastard, this is your fault!"

"Now, now, don't be rude."

"Nikola, Chase, stop it." Helen ordered she was in no mood for fighting. Tesla backed away and John went to Chase, where he cupped her cheek and leaned his forehead to hers, muttering something to her as he lightly stroked her cheek. Chase dropped her arm and sagged slightly.

"As much as I would love to rip you to bloody shreds, you, Vamp Boy, were just as much a victim as I was," Chase growled her voice feline in nature. It was too deep to be human. She pushed away from her father and paced in a slow, deadly line, keeping her eyes on Nikola.

"Nikola, what is she talking about?"

"And do try to be honest." John stated holding up his right hand, which made Tesla cringe slightly, before hissing.

"A while back you remember we spent some time in the catacombs of Rome?"

"Yes? Get on with it Nikola."

"Well, my dear Helen, the reason the Cabal were after me, was because I had just escaped their experiments, not because I was a threat. Of course that was after I fixed Jonny Boy over there. They had taken many different blood samples, and now as evidence suggests, they injected it into kitten over there." Nikola jerked his head in Chase's direction and chuckled when she growled at him, he knew they sound meant she would try to kill him, and maybe even soon.

"I was patient Zero. What the succeeded in doing to Ashley they tested on me, refined the process. It was supposed to be me trying like hell to cripple you, not precious Ashley." Chase seethed. Helen rounded on Chase, but softened when she saw the guilt ridden look in her younger child's eyes.

"Hey, hey Chase, when did you get back?"

"Henry." Chase breathed out and walked over to him. She curled her index finger around a lock of his hair, it was getting longer, "I like what you've done to you hair."

"Thanks, like what you've done to yours." Henry smiled and wrapped his arms around her. He had only a moment to notice that there were veins of red, teal, blue, and purple color running through her normally dark mane of brown hair.

"I've missed you," Chase whispered and tightened her hold before letting go. Henry's warmth slid through Chase, soothing her, taking away some of her anger and stress. Feline and canine abnormals shared high body heat and it was a comfort when that heat was shared.

"Chase, we need a sample of your blood, so we can at least see what they did." Helen said breaking through the comforting haze that Henry and Chase were creating around them.

Chase backed away, "Right, yeah, sorry." But it wasn't her mother that came over, it was Nikola. Chase hissed as Henry shot out his arm to protect her.

"I think you should back up," Henry warned, a growl rumbling low in his throat, as he positioned Chase behind him. He knew that she was capable of taking care of herself, but it was pure instinct to protect what he had left that drove his actions, and the act that chase had a death grip on the back of his shirt.

"Oh, isn't that cute, the puppy protecting the kitten." Nikola laughed at the simultaneous growl from both Chase and Henry.

"Nikola." Druitt said drawing out the Vampires name. He hated Nikola with a fierce passion. The arrogant nature he had about him was only made worse when he became a vampire.

"OK, everyone back up." Chase ordered and cut a wide path around the vampire. She headed for the main stairs to take her out of the lab, a lab that she spent most of her childhood in watching as her mother catalogued new abnormals and she also kept a tab on Chase's own growing abnormal abilities. She knew all eyes were on her, but she still headed towards the stairs as she tried to ignore the looming question no one wanted to ask, 'How did you escape the Cabal?' Now chase knew that her 'escape' had more of a release, but they hadn't counted that she would kill the scientists and the guards assigned to the facility. She had her father, John Druitt, to thank for the animalistic hunger for blood and the need to kill, but he had also been the one to save her in the end taking her back to the jungle where she was safe.

"Hey, Chase, wait up. I'll go with you." Henry came up next to Chase and lightly passed the back of his hand over hers. He heard a slight chuckle as they raced up the stairs, like they had when they were kids.

"I know the way, Henry." She laughed but didn't push him farther. She wanted the company, if anything the excuse to get away from the constant scrutiny.

Helen watched Chase and Henry run up the stairs, she suppressed an urge to tell them to be careful. The image of them as children raced through her mind. Back then she had been able to protect them, keep the evil of the world from touching them. Now everything was falling apart. Helen could still remember the night Chase had come to her, begging to leave before she hurt anyone, the growing madness so closely resembled John that she had agreed. Helen sent her to the Amazon where she could shape shift and be safe, hopeful purging the primal rage that had begun. She had made sure that Chase was off the radar to anyone, so far underground that no one could find her, but some how the Cabal had found her.

"Who ever did this to them will pay," Helen vowed, even if she had to get blood on her hands, she would protect what was hers.

John came up close to her, taking her hand he teleported them to the top of the North Tower, her haven with in Sanctuary. He knew that Helen made her way there two or three times a day when they weren't out searching for leads on Ashley. Here was where he was going to confront her and get her to pour out all her bottled up feelings; she needed the emotional purge if she was going to keep a clear head in the coming battle.

"I'm in no mood for your games," Helen snapped yanking her hand out of his grasp.

"Scream."

"What?"

John grabbed Helens upper arms and shook her, "Scream, rage, and curse the heavens. Do something to purge the pain you are keeping bottled up." He let her go, backed away, and held up his hands. It would do nothing for him to get angry in turn.

"I will scream when I am good and ready, not because you tell me to." Helen spat out each word drenched in venom. She wanted to lash out and John was the easiest person. Turning Helen headed for the door that would take her back inside, but John appeared before she could open the door. She tried to move around him but he maneuvered his body to block hers.

"This is not a game!" Helen shouted and beat her fist against his chest.

"No, it's not."

For the first time in weeks Helen sank down and let grief over take her, she let it flood her system. Tears cascaded down her face; screams tore at her throat fighting to be free. The desperation to feel grief and anger had been clawing at her for a while, since the night Ashley betrayed them. More than anything she had wanted to fall to pieces in private, to have John here to see her made her feel weak and powerless.

John crouched down in front of Helen and tried to pull her into his arms. She pushed at him, but he only gently pulled her close and suffered the occasional fist to the chest as she cried. Each sob that fell from her lips tore at his heart. This had been the woman he had loved, the woman he was going to marry, and then his powers had gone out of control turning him into a killer, not just any killer. He had been Jack the Ripper, never been caught and never revealed. The burden of his conscience had weighed on him heavily since Nikola had shocked him back into his senses. More than anything his desire for redemption kept him here, kept him at Helen's side. If he had been on his own he may have given into his deep seeded nature to take life. He would have searched for Ashley on his own and killed anyone who had gotten in his way. Helen was right, he could very well slip back into the soulless killer he had been. But listening to her suffering kept him in check.

Chase and Henry had taken the long way around to the infirmary. She had wanted to see how much of her home had changed and was relieved to see that not much was different. Her room was still next to Ashley's and together she and Henry had dropped her duffle off and now they were on their way to the infirmary so she could get a vial of her blood so that her mother could map the genetic changes that the Cabal had made. She wasn't too thrilled about being poked with a needle again, but whatever helped to bring Ashley back.

Chase stopped talking when the door to the library opened and a man she hadn't seen before stepped out. He was about 5'11 shot hair spiked lightly in the front. Pale skin and blue eyes, something about his scent read as cop, but the geeky kind.

"Will, you missed it."

"Missed what and who's your friend?"

"This is Chase, Ashley's sister."

"Sis... sister?" Will stuttered, but it was obvious. The girl, Chase, looked like a close of Magnus. He looked her over discreetly and noticed a few things. She kept her left hand slightly behind her back, her gaze flitted about the room, and her breathing increased. Will also noticed a ring on her middle left finger, at the symbol on it he couldn't quite make out.

Chase stuck out her left hand in an offering of a hand shake, "Where are my manners, I'm Chase Magnus."

"Will Zimmerman, nice to meet you." Will replied and took her left hand. That was when Will stared directly at the blue tattoo between her thumb and index finger. It was a blue triangle connected by a circle at each point, and he was better able to get a look at her ring. The symbol he wasn't about to place but he had seen them before.

"Can I have my hand back?"

"Oh, sorry. I was just noticing your ring."

"It was a gift."

"Magnus might be waiting for us already." Henry piped up.

"Right. Time and Science waits for no one." Chase dropped Henry's hand. She hadn't even realized that she had taken it, and made her way towards the infirmary.

Henry and Will watched her go, "I didn't know Magnus had a second daughter. She has got be two years younger than Ashley." Will mused and Henry said nothing. Instead he left Will in the hall to follow Chase.

Helen felt worn out, tired, and drained. She didn't have the strength to move herself from John's light hold. Secretly she didn't want to move, but her fear of what he could become screamed inside her head to get up and get away from him. Helen had a job to do and she needed strength and a clear mind to do it. He was right, as much as she was loath to admit it, John had been right. She had needed to scream and cry.

"Thank you," Helen whispered and was surprised when John wiped away the remnants of her tears. Simple, intimate gestures were not beyond him. John grasped her hands lightly and pulled her up with him when he stood. She had only a moment to adjust before they were in the infirmary. Chase was no where to be found, but Kate was still manacled to the bed, only she was asleep and that suited Helen just fine. Before they had time to wonder what was taking Chase so long, the door opened and laughter filtered in before Henry and Chase. Henry was attacking her sides and Chase was laughing

"Ok... ok... I give. No more… Henry... no more!" Chase choked out between laughs.

"Say uncle."

"I... don't have... an uncle!" She continued to laugh.

"Ok." Henry released her and was rewarded with a hard slap to his upper arm.

"Are you two quiet through?" Helen asked with her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, mom, sorry." Chase said making her way over to the nearest gurney. It was there that she saw Kate, the same Kate who had led the Cabal to her. "I see someone final caught that rat." Chase jerked her head over to Kate's seeping form.

"You're acquainted with our sleeping friend?" John asked.

"Yeah, how do you think the Cabal trapped me? She made out that she knew where one of my friends was hiding, trying to lure me out, and when I couldn't wait any longer trusting her word, I get drugged and taken by the Cabal. I hope one of you shot her." Chase made a fist after her mother put the tourniquet around her forearm.

"Magnus nearly took off her foot." Henry commented rocking back and forth on his heals.

"You should have. Ow!"

"Sorry, should have warned you." Helen smiled, "Relax your fist. Some of these needle marks look months old. How long did they keep you?"

"Six month, I've been free eight weeks. The held more fr about two months before they started to experiment on me."

"Two weeks before they took Ashley. How did you escape?" Helen removed one vial of blood and inserted another and waited while it filled.

Chase looked to her father, "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?"

"I can't believe you didn't tell her?" Chase shook her head, "The only reason I managed to get out without any more blood on my hands is thanks to my father. He found me and took me home to the jungle. I would have died at the hands of the Cabal during my escape, but he showed up in the nick of time." Chase bowed her head and held pressure to the crook of her arm.

"John?" Helen questioned. In the six weeks he had been around never once did he mention that he had been in contact with Chase. Not once.

"It was two days after your run in with Nikola. I found a few Cabal agents following me. I managed to get them to tell me what they knew and I went to find Chase."

Helen didn't say anything, she just took both vials of blood and left. Too many things had happened today. Her brain couldn't process them all. Ashley had been turned against them, Chase was used as a testing ground, and John had been in contact with Chase. Everything was unraveling. Rage boiled through her again, pure hot rage. Now was not the time to scream at them, she had to remember that John was Chase's father as well as Ashley's he had a right to be in contact with her and he had a right to help find Ashley and bring her home. Helen had to remember that, even if it made her madder than hell.

Chase watched her mother go anger and hurt poured off her in waves. She nearly wanted to rub her arms to get the feeling to go away, "I think we made her mad." She muttered and slide off the gurney. "I thought you were going to tell her."

"It's complicated."

"Coward, you just don't want mom to think any better of you." Chase spat out.

"That was uncalled for; I am still your father."

"Just because you had sex with my mother and donated DNA doesn't make you my father." Chase seethed and she had no idea why she was getting so angry. It could have to do with the residual vibes her mother had been throwing off.

"Ok, eww." Henry grimaced.

"Shut up Henry." Chased tossed a pillow at him, but deflated when he tossed it back at her, " I'm sorry, just mom's anger and then..." Chase sat down on the bed and put the pillow over her face. Hands encircled her wrists and pulled the pillow off her face. Her father stared at her, concern and sadness in his eyes. The man of perpetual sadness, he would never know redemption and never know forgiveness, but Chase forgave him, Chase loved him as her father.

Down in the lab Helen stood next to Nikola looking up at the screen in the lab. She had just run tests on Chase's blood and come up with some startling discoveries. The Cabal had used her for more than testing and perfecting the procedure they used to turn Ashley, their experiments were extensive. So far Helen had mapped the two dominant abnormal traits. One of them was her natural feline prowess and the other was the vampirism introduced in a synthetic serum. So far she thought that it was what allowed for the blending of more abnormal abilities later on. Normal humans have twenty-three pairs of chromosomes, but abnormals had twenty-four. The extra pair was what gave them their abilities. Chase was different in a sense; her blood could harbor and integrate new abilities for combat use. Helen thanked God that she had escaped before they had implemented more of their testing.

"Helen, look at this." Nikola caught her attention, pointing to the screen.

"What?" Helen turned her attention back to the lab monitor and nearly dropped her jaw, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, but..."

"It's can't be..." Both Helen and Nikola were stunned.

"Can't be what?" Chase asked descending the stairs next to John. Helen noted that John wore a relaxed expression, but the sadness to his eyes stuck out. She had a pang of sympathy slice through her heart. After all was said and done she still cared for the man who gave her two wonderful daughters.

"Take a look at this, both you." Helen motioned for John and Chase to stand next to her.

"Ok, what are we looking at?" Chase asked but she knew the answer. "This shouldn't be what my blood looks like, should it?"

"Helen, what are we looking at?" John asked stepping closer, his voice soft and curious.

"John, you studied as Doctor, now think like one. What do you see?"

"That can't be a triple celled platelet."

"In fact, Jonny Boy, this is exactly what it is. Question is how it came to be in kitten's blood." Nikola chuckled as Chase hissed. He didn't miss the restraining hand John placed on his younger daughters arm.

"Having flashbacks to the movie _UNDERWORLD._ They said something about allowing for a perfect union blah, blah, blah." Chase moved her hand in a talking motion.

"In fact this allows for you to harbor more that one abnormal ability. I think this is what the Cabal did to you with Nikola's blood." Helen watched Chase digest the new information.

"So if that's true, why did they take the source blood, why not simply drain me and use my own blood to infect Ashley?"

"They needed it to make more copies of Ashley. Perhaps your blood was too unstable to introduce into her directly even though you are sisters. What they started to develop in you, they finished in her. She was the ultimate goal. You were..."

"The incubator, the lab rat, the guinea pig, pick a term. The used me to mix all the parts together, to get the best mix for a sentinel." Chase's voice dripped with venom, anger, and guilt. She brought her index and thumb over to the ring on her left hand and turned the inner track. It was something for her fingers to do, she needed the distraction. Being told that she had essentially brought about her own sisters destruction was enough information to process.

"Can we undo what they did to Chase? Maybe that would yield a treatment to help Ashley." John asked looking over at his younger daughter.

"Possibly, we would have to examine her blood closer but I do have a few more tests to run, with Chase's permission." Helen turned to look at her daughter. She didn't want to do anything that would remind her of the Cabal lab, but they needed answers, if they were going to help Ashley.

"Well, you don't have Chase's permission, because she is going to her room, getting a bottle of Tequila and going to try and get drunk. Someone will have to bring the others up to speed." She backed away and headed for the stairs at a dead run. Her animal instincts were telling her to run, so she ran. It wasn't that Chase didn't want to help Ashley, she did, and it was the way that her mother wanted her to help. Chase was not about to become some sort of lab rat again, no matter her mothers good intentions.

John was about to go after her when Helen put her hand on his arm, "Let her go, I was asking too much."

"So, what, we just let her run and hide in her room like a frightened child?"

"That is essentially what she is. The Cabal abused her for scientific gain. They had no regard for the animal part of her that they caged and drugged. I was asking too much of her." Helen took a deep breath and dropped her hand from John's arm. She braced both palms on the table in front of her and sighed. "John I need a sample of your blood."

"Why?"

"I want to introduce it into Chase's blood. If Ashley does come back here at the Cabal's bidding, then we are going to need all the advantages we can get and one of those advantages is Chase."

"You want to see if she really can be turned into something more, clever, clever Helen." Tesla mused as he went for a syringe.

"More like you want to see if you can give her an edge over Ashley." John whispered, but he was sure Nikola had heard him.

"Chase will need it, you saw what Ashley did to you and Nikola, and you two are far older than she is." Helen glanced at John when he moved in close to her. As much as she didn't want him near her, keeping him close was all she could think about. Their conversation on the roof while they were in Egypt played out through her mind again. 'I guess, I just want to know where we stand.' Helen didn't have an answer then an she didn't have one now. For the time being he was here and that was enough for her.

"You certainly do know how to spare my vanity."

"Vanity? You? Never in a million years." Helen scoffed, and then added a soft chuckle.

"Ok, who's ready to give blood?" Tesla interjected holding up a syringe.

"Thank you Nikola."

**CHASE'S QUARTERS:**

Chase lounged on her bed with a bottle of tequila grasped in her right hand. She was staring out the window looking at Old City. When she had been a child she would stay up all night just watching all the lights wink out one by one. She used to wonder what it was like to sleep through the night. Sleeping was something she never did on a regular basis. Her mother barely slept, Ashley barely had slept, and Chase barely slept. But now the lack of her sleeping was due in large part to the Cabal. The first few days of her freedom, when sleep had claimed her, she would dream of the cage and the lab and needles constantly being inserted into her arm. After that she had just given up sleeping for more than two hours at a stretch. It made her cranky and more sarcastic, but she would do anything to not have to see that lab again, even if it meant sacrificing her sleep. But when the exhaustion was too much to bear and sleep did claim her, her dreams were filled with blood and death, death of the scientist and the guards who had held her captive.

Chase lifted the bottle to her lips and knocked it back taking a quick swig before settling the bottle at her side again. She continued to watch the city even after her father appeared by the door. If he wanted to talk then he would have to break the silence first. She was as content as a cucumber to drink and watch the city out of her window. The window completely encompassed the wall, floor to ceiling. She had loved the open feeling the window provided her.

"Are we going to talk?" John asked taking a step closer, just a single step.

"I don't know, are we?" Chase drawled, knocking back another shot.

"Your mother only wants to help."

"By turning me into lab rat again? Thanks but no thanks. I got enough of that at the hands of the Cabal!" Chase shouted a slight trace of her parent's accents coming out. She was about to lift the bottle to her lips again when John appeared and snatched the bottle from her hand.

"Your mother is not the Cabal."

"I know but she is a scientist and she is driven by a scientist's desire for knowledge. You know what they say about good intentions and hell?" Chase chuckled adding a wicked note. John heard his own laugh echoing in her, his daughter.

"You've had enough."

"What are you, my father?!" Chase bounded off the bed and nearly had her hard around his neck when he teleported over by the window.

"I am your father." John stated and took a belt from the bottle.

"No, you're not. To be a father you have to be around, not just donate DNA!" She hissed and opened the door to leave her room. John was at her side in a blink of an eye sticking a needle in her arm. She swayed slightly, just before she hit the floor Chase found herself in the Infirmary. Her mother and Nikola were already there.

"I told you I would get her here."

"I said willingly John." Helen chided and then sighed. She would wait until she had Chase's complete cooperation.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

_**CABAL LAB:**_

_**8 WEEKS AGO**_

_Blood covered her hands and death clouded the air. So many were dead in her attempt to escape, she had to kill them. They would never have let her go otherwise. So now they were dead, and that suited her just fine. The beast in her roared in triumph, but it was a victory that would be short lived. She could hear more boot clomps which meant more guards, more guards with guns or tasers. Sinking into the shadows she waited for them like a Tiger waits for its prey in the jungle. She allowed the shadows to pull her in hiding her from direct sight._

"_Fan out and capture the girl alive. We need her to complete our work for the next stage."_

_Chase knew that voice. It belonged to the scientist responsible for her torture and her attempted brainwash. They had made her into something other than the abnormal she had been born, and that would be their death. Chase stilled her body, waiting, anticipating her next move. They wanted to create a mindless killer, but they failed with Chase, though she was going to kill them, and she would revel in their blood. Extending her claws Chase struck out. She hit flesh and felt bone, blood, warm and res, flowed over her hand, gushed down her wrist and dripped on the floor. The woman crumpled to the floor. A wicked smile graced Chase's lips. The scientist was bleeding heavily from her right leg, with any luck she would never walk right again. Hauling her up by her neck Chase started to move through the guards. She didn't fear their guns, she had no reason to, and if she wanted to she could be over to each one of them before they knew what happened. They wanted her alive to experiment on._

"_Move out of the way or I will kill her!" Chase roared her voice more animalistic than human._

_Like good little boys they moved out of the way and Chase was careful to keep the scientist between her and a free shot. She wanted to be free, she wanted her jungle, and the blood she had shed would buy her freedom, or her death would, whichever came first. The door was only a few more steps away, once she was through Chase would run._

"_You won't make it out of here alive!" One of the guards shouted. Chase only laughed an evil malicious sound that had the scientist in her grasp shivering, fear coming off her in waves. She knew the odds of her escape, and more people would die in her attempt. Feeling with the bottom of her foot, Chase encountered the door; freedom would be on the other side. Pushing it open and shoving the scientist at the same time, Chase was through the door and sprinting towards daylight. A guard charged from a side hallway. Chase couched and sprang, a vicious roar echoing from her throat as she landed on the man with her teeth sinking into his carotid artery. Blood dripped down her chin even as the guard bled to death. Chase reveled in his death and the taste of blood. Now she was more animal than human._

"_There will be quite enough of that young lady."_

_Chase turned and saw a tall lanky man with a bald head. He held out his hand to her and she backed away. There was something about him that smelled familiar but she couldn't place him, couldn't place his scent. Chase crouched, intent to spring and attack, but he disappeared and materialized behind her wrapping his arm around her neck and the other around her waist just as more guards spilled into the hall. The last thing Chase saw was the flash of fire and the sound of guns being fired. Then she appeared in an apartment with the moon shining bright out of a huge bay window…_

Chase came out of her memories and bolted off of the gurney in the infirmary. She put her back to the wall sinking down to the floor, pillowing her head on her knees shaking. It was the first time in eight weeks she had dreamed of what she had done to those people. During her waking hours she had tried to recall exactly what had happened, but she came up empty, a blank. It was as if the animal in her didn't want her to remember, didn't want her to become scarred. But in the dream the action was play by play in vivid clarity that Chase felt shame coil through her, she thought she might even vomit from the shear violence she had inflicted. Blood had even painted the walls in the lab, she was sure that it coated her from head to toe. And shortly after that her father had taken her to a dive in some small town where he explained who he was and why he had come for her. He had stayed with her for two weeks helping her, trying to get her to work through her inner demons, then one day he was gone. After she got that call from her mother about coming home, Chase knew her father had left to help save Ashley, but the fight hadn't gone so well.

"Chase?" Chase looked up at her mother when Helen sank down to her knees in front of her daughter.

"It's nothing, just being haunted by my escape." Chase took deep breaths and tried to calm her racing heart. Blood rushed through her veins and pounded in her ears.

"I know it's not the right time, but I need you to allow me to do this. If we could find a way to help…"

"Ok."

"What?"

"I said ok. Do what you need to… but don't sedate me, please. I can't take seeing that place again."

"You're not even going to ask what it is that I want to do to you." Helen asked.

"If it means helping Ashley, then do what you need to do."

"It will hurt, and I don't want to see you in pain." Helen reached her hand out and touched Chase's cheek lightly.

"I can take it, but the sedation makes it worse. My beast fights to keep me awake." Chase sucked in a breath again. Her nerves were shaking and her heart was pounding faster and faster. She could still feel the blood coating her hands and the blood running down her chin. If her mother had had to see her like that, then Chase would have never come home.

"We'll start tomorrow morning." Helen gently rubbed her daughters shoulder before she stood.

"No the sooner the better."

"There is no rush. Take time to recover from the nightmares." John moved next to Helen, but kept his eyes on Chase.

"If I wait much longer then I'll change my mind. Just give me a few minutes…" Chase dropped her head to rest against her knees again.

"Take a couple of hours and rest." John offered his hand and slowly Chase took it. She didn't want to think about it, she wanted to get it over with

"Dad, I…"

"Take the couple of hours. The offer is not going to expire." John pulled Chase to her feet and made sure she left the infirmary.

"She's more your daughter than she is mine." Helen didn't miss the paternal note John put into his voice. Something had changed him; something he had seen in Chase had changed him more than Helen was willing to admit.

"I've seen the worst of her."

"What did you see John?"

John took a deep breath, remembering the way she had looked bathed in blood. She had looked like the soulless killer he had once been. Brutal savagery lighting her eyes, a wicked grin painting her lips, and the lust for more blood shed. John knew the addiction very well back when he had been the Ripper. It brought back unpleasant memories from the past and present. John put his hand on Helen's back, taking them to her office. When they got there he shut the door and paced in front of the fireplace, each step measured, taking care to put his words in order before he told her what he had seen.

Pacing was doing John no good; he stopped in the center, bracing his hands on the carved wood. John bowed his head and took a deep breath. He knew he needed to tell her, but he was worried about how she would react. The words had to be precise, had to be able to convey what he had seen and still not paint Chase in a bad, uncontrolled light. John didn't want Helen to think that chase had turned into him when he was in the grips of his madness.

"If you are going to tell me, then, John, tell me."

"When I found her they had… they had brought out the inner beast in her, you would not have recognized her, and the mind of the animal had its foot hold on her. She was bathed in blood, the blood of the scientists who had experimented on her and she was poised for more carnage. If I hadn't gotten her out when I did, she would either be dead or her soul be would've been tainted beyond repair. When I got her to safety she coward in a corner for two days before hunger and thirst drove her out. Over and over she would say, 'No more, no more' I couldn't…" John's voice was low and full of pain as he trailed off, in his mind he could once again see her in the corner refusing to clean the blood off as it dried. John was finding it hard to finish telling Helen how broken their child had become. He had to see his daughter covered in blood and ready to shed more. It brought back too many of his own demons, brought back a time when he had lusted after the smell of blood, the thrill of the hunt and capture, and he had wanted to shed more. Maybe Helen was right, how easy it would be for him to slip back into being Jack the Ripper, but he had one thing to keep him ground, well other than Helen and the chance they could be more once again, but he had Chase and the need to help her through her own rage.

Helen listened and heard the note of sorrow ring in John's voice. She could image the devastation Chase could have wrought during her escape. It was no more than anyone else was capable of, but more so because she was an abnormal, a very strong abnormal who had teetered on the edge of insanity all her life. Before Helen could stop herself she took one step towards John and where he stood at the fireplace in her office. She wanted to reach out her hand and lay it gently on his shoulder, she wanted to offer some sort of comfort the way he had done to her. Chase was his daughter as well; he must have been tortured to see her, a mere image of himself when he was the Ripper. Helen clenched her fist and commanded her body to remain still. Her body still ached for his, still wished to feel his skin glide against hers. At nights unbidden her mind would conjure his hands soothing her hurt, taking away her lonely self imposed cage.

John had felt and heard Helen take that tentative step towards him. His heart lightened a little but then she had stopped. He had told her an awful truth about their daughter and he waited for her reaction. When he felt neither rage nor pain flow from her; he turned to her. She was just staring at him. John could clearly see her thinking, measuring what she should say next. He wanted to reassure her that Chase was fine, that her rage no longer plagued her, but he was sure that Helen would believe that just as she believed that he, himself, was cured.

"How could you save her?" It was a simple question. No recriminations, no judgment, and no change in tone. But it had John's anger rising.

"How can you ask me that?" John bit out, quickly pulling back his anger and making his tone neutral.

"How?"

"I could say it was because my paternal instincts kicked in. But that would taste a lie to tell you that. So, I will simply tell you that I couldn't bear to see her at the hands of the Cabal. She is my blood and I will do what I need to, to protect her" John answered and gripped the fireplace. His knuckles turned white from the shear amount of strength he was using to keep from going to Helen and tell her what she wanted to hear. In the weeks he had been guarding his younger child John had learned what it was to be a parent, and to be even more scarred that the Cabal would find Chase and return her to torture and experimentation. She had made his life much more able to bear. Chase didn't blame him for the lives he took, she told him that his madness had driven him and he couldn't control it. That was enough for him, it was enough that Chase was the only one who didn't blame, even when the world did, but that world was Helen Magnus. After all these years, what she thought of him still mattered a great deal. He was about to leave when her gentle hand touched his shoulder. For a moment John doubted she had touched him, but when more of her came into contact with him John turned. Helen had tears in her eyes and the hand that touched his shoulder was shaking. He drew her into the shelter of his arms, this time she went willingly, John whispered, "We'll rescue Ashley, and we'll save Chase."

**CHASE'S QUARTERS:**

The night was warm, the moon shining bright, with only a lament sung by crickets. Chase couldn't resist going out on her balcony to watch the stars. Her father had told her to take a couple of hours and so she would because he had told her. It was too late for him to be her father, but still he was just that; her father. 'He saved you, made you whole again.' A voice whispered in the back of her mind. It was true he had saved her and he had mended her broken soul, well as mended as she would allow him to make it. Chase had nearly clawed him to death the first time he tried to get her out of the corner. Three days later he turned on the radio and offered his hand. She had kept her hands close to her; pure instinct had her marginally reach out her hand. It was John who had leaned forward and gently grasped her hand, pulling her to her feet and taking a wet cloth he took the blood off her face. She could remember one hand clenched in his and the other gripping his shirt for dear life. Chase had come back into herself with that small act and had enough sense of self to ask for a shower.

She shook her head and fought back the memories. Placing her hands on the banister Chase situated her self and gently lowered down until she had her head pillowed on her arms and she was staring up at the moon and stars. The moon light cascaded over her and recharged her. Things were so simple in the dark. _Creek!_ Chase tensed when she heard the sound, but the subtle scent carried to her told her it was Will. He was passing by her door, but stopped and stepped over the threshold.

"You can come in Will!" Chase shouted from the balcony, turning her head to smile a wicked smile at him.

He walked out on to the balcony with a file in his hand as she said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you but…"

"I look like a crazy person lying on this railing right?" Chase asked, amusement lacing her words.

"Sort of, yeah." Will responded and took another step out. He marveled at the clear night and the warm air.

"I like to lay out here, always have, even when I was seven years old. Sometimes I would even fall asleep and wake when the sun rose." Chase commented and added a wicked chuckle.

Will had heard that same sound emanate from Druitt on occasion. It freaked him out then and it freaked him out coming from Chase. He looked down at the file he carried and read the name: _Chase Magnus_. The file had been in some affects James Watson had left him after his death. After the sudden meeting with Chase earlier he thought he might look through some of the files, and he had found Chase's. Will hadn't had the nerve to open it and see what James had said about her.

"Is there something you wanted, Doctor Zimmerman?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"So ask a question."

Will forced a chuckle, "Ok, most obvious one would be, why are you laying on a railing in the middle of the night?"

"Because I like the night, she is my mother, my protector, my camouflage. I blend in and hunt my prey until I can strike. This gives me comfort, always had, and it always will."

"You sound like Druitt," Will muttered.

"Well he is my father; half of my genes come from him. I've had to settle that account and it no longer bothers me. He is my father and I am his daughter; the daughter of the Ripper."

"That's creepy. Doesn't it bother you that your father was the Ripper?"

"No, that was the past. He is no longer that man due to Tesla and the burden of his conscience's reemergence. The era of the Ripper is long dead but for those who remember it, and they are three of the five. I hold no opinion of what he did then, I wasn't around."

"But doesn't it make you angry?"

"No, why should it?"

"He was the Ripper."

"How can I blame him for something he had no control over?"

"You can't." Will heaved a sigh and conceded the point.

"No I can't, because I am a cursed creature just as he is. Blood stains my hands and buries my soul. I would be in the wrong to blame him." Chase turned and got up off the railing to stand before Will. It as the first time she had spoken in such macabre ways. Maybe it was the night affecting her mind of merely being around her father and to colorful way he spoke.

"But…"

"Will, I am his daughter and I am the only one who loves him right now. He needs me just as I need him." Chase placed her hand on Will's shoulder and offered him a sad smile before she left him to think. The night would allow him to do that and she would wonder around remembering things from her past. A foot out of her door, she saw her father leaning against the wall. He had his arms crossed and his head bowed but Chase knew he had heard every word of her conversation with Will. Rather than talk to him she pulled out her iPod and placed the ear buds in her ear. Turning up the music she listened to the song NOT MEANT TO BE_ by_ Theory of a Dead Man. Still he wouldn't let her get away that easy. Druitt fell into step beside her and waited. For the first minute she tried to ignore him, but him being there overwhelmed her and she yanked out the head phones.

"What?!"

"Those were very nice things you said about me." He had a hint of laughter in his voice.

Chase scoffed and headed down the corridor but turned back, "They are all true."

"Don't tell your mother."

"Coward."

"Chase." John stretched his daughter's name and she leaned away from him.

**HENRY'S LAB:**

Henry heard Chase coming, he could smell her, and he could feel her. She was just there in his senses and he wanted to keep her close. He wanted to keep what was left of his family intact. Chase had always been closer to him than Ashley. That was probably sue to the fact that she was something close to what he was. "Hey Henry, are you doing anything important?" Chase asked when she rounded the corner. Henry had been working on a way to neutralize Ashley and about to head to Tesla's lab but he could afford to give Chase a few minutes, anything to keep him away from Tesla just a while longer.

"Sure, for you." Henry smiled as he picked up his tablet.

"You wanna go lay down in front of the fire with me?" Chase leaned against the wall, crossing her arms.

"You're serious?"

"Yeah, unless you're busy, I don't want to get you into any trouble."

"No, no, no, for you I can spare anything." Henry thought quickly. Tesla would be fine without him for about an hour and an hour is what he would give Chase. When they had been younger he and Chase had loved to nap in front of the fireplace after playing in the snow all day. It was one of the things he had missed when Chase had left in the middle of the night. Sure he had gotten a spare word form her every now and then, but for her to leave in the middle of the night, that was a hurt Henry would talk to her about, sooner or later.

Henry walked over to her and took her hand, giving her a gentle tug to follow him another way out of his lab. They would pass a few of the cells but they would get to their favorite fireplace faster. Momentarily Henry forgot about one of the cells they would pass until Chase stopped and stared at the glass. She dropped his hand and went over to look at the Big Guy curled up on the floor of his cell. He could smell hurt, and sadness roll off her, it was no more than Henry would feel when he looked at the Big Guy. Chase put her hand flat on the glass and waited. From her reflection Henry could see tears, tears he wanted to wipe away.

"What happened to him?"

"He was infected with this virus the Cabal created."

As if sensing them the Big Guy got up and staggered. He looked at Chase and felt some of his pain vanish, but it was only the pain in his heart that had lightened at seeing the youngest return home. He moved slowly over and placed his hand over his, flat on the glass, looking at her. She had tears in her eyes over him.

"I'm sorry." Chase whispered.

"It is good to see you home." He grunted and tilted his head.

Chase turned and looked at Henry, "Why is he still like this, isn't there a cure?"

"There is a cure and he won't take it."

She turned back and leaned her head close to the glass.

"I live the way my people live."

"Stubborn." Chase whispered but gave him a weak smile. He was right, and he lived the way of his people even though he never went back to them. Chase jumped back quickly when his hand impacted the glass. He went from docile to violent in the span of a second. For the first time since she knew his, Chase was scarred of him and what he could do should he ever get out.

"Leave now." He growled and Chase backed further away taking Henry's hand again. He pulled her away from the cell and they took the steps two at a time to get to the main level. All thoughts of curling in front of a fire flew out of her mind.

"Come on. I know what you need." Henry didn't wait for Chase's response, gripping her hand tighter he ran down the hall. Racing around corners and sprinting down halls, Henry ended up at the doors to the garden.

"Henry, I don't…." Her voice trailed off when she stepped outside. The moon was lower; its light seemed to dance over every flower and vine. She couldn't resist, Chase let go of Henry's hand and ran through the maze of flowers.

Everything was so alive at night, her eyes wondered over every flower, they seemed to glow with their own inner light, and it made them look like Technicolor. Chase had always had sharp eyes at night, but after her recent stint with the Cabal everything had new life in her eyes. Even looking at Henry in the dead of night, he glowed as well. It was almost as if Chase was seeing things in terms of heat.

"Glad I brought you out here?"

"Yes," Chase rasped out and stepped closer to Henry where he slid his arms around her, pulling her body close to his, and leaning his forehead to her.

"There was something I was going to say, but it flew right out of my head seeing you like this."

"Henry, if you want kiss me, go a head. Cause want you to." Chase whispered tilting her head to the side. As a young teen she had always had a crush on Henry, but her leaving had prevented her from telling him. She didn't want to inadvertently hurt him. The rage that had once fueled her father had just begun to boil through her system, making her irrational and quick to anger.

Henry angled his head and lightly placed his lips to her, feeling the softness, and wanting more. Applying more pressure he ran his tongue over the crease of her lips, seeking entrance, begging for more of her taste. She grinned into his kiss before opening her lips, her tongue darting out to dance with his. The taste of wolf and feline mixing into a heady concoction was enough to cloud the mind and dampen the senses to all other sounds in the garden.

They pulled apart and merely smiled. The night was so peaceful, stars twinkling in the sky, and the moon providing the light. Chase looked up at the moon, it blazed as bright as the sun, but not as bright as the smile she wore from Henry.

"We should head inside."

"No, I have a little while before I have to go down to the la, I want to enjoy it, with you if you have time?"

"Anything for you."

"I'm really glad I cam home Henry," Chase placed her hand in Henry's, intertwining their fingers and taking them further into the darkness with only the moon and stars as light.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

**ONE HOUR LATER:**

Helen sat curled into the corner of her couch. She was watching the fire crackle and turn the fresh logs to embers. When her daughters had been small she would curl up in here with them and read fairy tales to them. Chase would have been curled tight in her side and Ashley would have been snuggled next to Chase. Oh how she missed those days, the days of scraped knees and small cuts. She missed the days when the biggest problem for her girls was whether they should play outside or make pillow forts in their rooms. Helen wanted those days back, she wanted to be able to read stories and she wanted to be the one with al the answers, but more than that she wanted to be back in that time so she could protect her daughters from all the evils of the world. Back then she knew what she had to do, but now everything was less clear and less easy.

Helen was lost in thought when a gentle knock sounded at her office door. She wanted to ignore it and hoped who ever was out there just went away, but the knock sounded again so she was forced to answer it. Normally Helen would leave her door open but today she wanted to be left alone. Rising from her place on the couch Helen opened the door to find Will on the other wide carrying Chase's file. Suspicion crept into her mind, but she kept her face neutral.

"What can I do for you Will?"

"I actually wanted to talk about Chase, if you don't mind?"

"No, please have a seat." Helen motioned to the chair across from the couch as she resumed her original position.

Silence stretched between them as Will tried to form his words carefully for what he wanted to ask. "Is Chase really Druitt's daughter as well?"

"Yes, she and Ashley were supposed to be twins. When I went to freeze Ashley's embryo I discovered that I was carrying two. For a split moment I was overjoyed and then the reality of whose children they were came crashing back into my mind. Then you know the rest. I carried Ashley and Chase separately." Helen looked towards the fire again.

"How is it that Chase wasn't here when I first started here?"

"Chase asked to leave when she was fifteen for fear of hurting someone, she could feel rage boiling through her, it was a small shadow compared to her father's but it was there and I recognized her need to leave. I sent her to James to look after and continue her education. Her rage and aggression were above normal so he enrolled her in advanced combat classes. Course you probably already read that." Helen motioned to the file Will still held.

"Actually I haven't had the heart to read it; I was bringing it to you." Will rose from the chair and held out he file waiting for Helen to take it. When she made no move Will placed it on the table and left quietly but stopped just short of reaching the door.

"Magnus, I spoke with Chase earlier while she was lying on the railing of her balcony and she said something very odd. She said that she was a cursed creature and that she would be in the wrong to blame Druitt for his past when she had committed the same sins. Something is going on inside her mind, and I think she needs someone other than Druitt to talk to."

"Thank you Will." Helen had thought the same thing, but like Will, she hadn't had the heart to talk to Chase about what she went through with the Cabal. John had told her how he had found her, but Helen needed to know what happened to her during her capture.

**THE LAB:**

John looked up the wide stair case when he heard the faint sound of laughter. Chase and Henry were walking close together. Another turn in the stairs and John could see that their pinkies were intertwined in some sort of childish gesture. More than anything his daughter looked more relaxed than she had in the intervening weeks since her escape from the Cabal. He caught her gaze, offering her a small smile as she stepped away from Henry.

"Chase."

"Dad," Chase said and took a deep breath, "Now or never." She looked around the mostly barren lab to see a chair set up with all sorts of monitors around. Fear and panic crept into her mind, the need to flee bunched her muscles, but she looked into the eyes of her mother and instantly calmed. She was allowing her to do this so she could help bring Ashley home. 'Ashley,' Chase had to hold on to the thought of her older sister. Every step seemed to take and eternity to complete. The animal part of her mind snarled and roared, trying to get her to turn around and run, but the human was in control and it was the human part of Chase that had agreed.

Chase settled herself in the chair and waited for her mom to secure the restraints, but was pleasantly surprised when it was Henry. Instantly Chase stilled and her heart rate slowed. Henry had a way of inducing calm in her, taking away her instinctive urge to run, to escape. It was something that she needed right now, needed it like the air she breathed.

"Tighter."

"You sure?"

"I don't want to struggle free, so, tighter." Chase growled. The scientists had made that mistake the first time around, they under estimated her strength, she got free and managed to do some damage before they subdued her and hauled her back to her cage.

The Velcro straps bit into her skin, almost cutting off her circulation. Chase tested them; she wanted to be sure before her mother injected her. One breath, then another, and another, Chase felt ready. "Hit me," Chase huffed out a breath and waited for the needle to stick into her arm.

"This is a sample of your father's blood, centrifuged, pure. Once I inject it you should notice the effects. We've dropped the EM shield as a precaution, incase you..."

"Mom, just hit me and get it over with." Chase felt her heart rate speed up, her blood flow faster, and fear flood her system as the needle pierced her skin infusing her father's gift into her already twisted DNA. Where she thought Henry would take her hand it was actually her father. His warm hand slipped into her right and held tight. The grip was a reassurance even as the convulsions hit. Her body felt as if it would tear itself to shreds. Tiny pin pricks broke out under her skin, fire burned her organs, her lungs felt as if they would collapse, and her heart rate soared to new heights of pain, but all of this was preferable to the sedation and the nightmares that would wait for her there.

John's hand tightened on Chase's as her claws elongated, slicing into his hand, blood flowed and covered their joined hands, the blood of a father who needed his daughter. In that moment of her chosen suffering John would have moved heaven and Earth to keep pain from touching her again. He felt the fear a father should feel when his child was suffering. Her convulsions stopped and her body stilled, but John didn't move away. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckled and waited for her to wake.

"John, she's out for a while."

"I'll stay and wait until she wakes."

"Are you..."

"Helen, I am going to stay with her." John breathed out and concentrated his gaze on Chase. If all went to plan then she would be altered just like Ashley, with a little more punch and an added edge. Only, it was up to Chase to let loose her inner beast.

"I think your paternal instincts are kicking in," Helen whispered before she left him to sit with Chase in the lab.

John didn't see Chase passed out, no, he saw the blood stained Chase fresh from Cabal torture. His mind took him back eight weeks_._ _Chase was cowering in a corner; she was still covered in blood. John had tried for the last hour to get her to come over to him so he could at least get the blood off her face, but still she remained in the corner shivering and shaking, shock settling into her system. He wasn't used to this; he wasn't used to trying to deal with a scared and tortured girl. Again, he came closer to her, slowly sinking down to where he was at her level, and he reached out his hand, just waiting, waiting her for to take it, or for her to swipe at him. John almost pulled his hand back and stormed away when her delicate fingers lightly rested in his palm. Slowly he drew her to her feet and lifted his other hand holding the wet wash cloth. She nearly pulled away when she saw what it was, then stilled and allowed him to do what he needed. Every move he made was slow and measured, lest he frighten her back into the corner. He didn't want that._

_First John started with the dried blood at her temple, it was dried and flaking off. She sagged and John lowered her into the nearby chair. It would allow him to finish and allow Chase to rest more. Every swipe brought more and more blood off of her pale skin. John had wondered at the carnage she had inflicted. Someone like her doing so much damage was unfathomable, but she had wrought devastation upon the Cabal. Chase was barely 5'11 and looked as light as a pixie. Slim, but strong, she would have been great at whatever the Cabal had in mind for her, but they failed to chain her indomitable free will, the inner beast that had made her abnormal. Another swipe and Chase clamped her hand down on his wrist._

_"Just stop," She whispered and a single tear rolled down her cheek cutting through the blood._

_"Why?"_

"John?" John shook his head as Tesla wondered over. He was absent for the injection. Whatever Helen had him working on was keeping the Vampire locked away and out of everyone's way. It was a pity that he still wasn't working.

"Nikola."

"How is she holding up?" Nikola stood on the other side of Chase, her vitals were steady, but she was still unconscious.

"She's fine, now leave."

"Ooh, so touchy Jonny Boy. I was only asking a deeply heartfelt question, you psychopath." Tesla hissed. He had never liked John at Oxford and he knew the other man held the same low opinion that he had.

"My response would be to rip your heart out through your rib cage, which would be my heartfelt response." John growled. He didn't rise; he didn't release Chase's hand. He kept his back to Tesla and waited. The vampire said nothing, instead opting to leave which suited John just fine. More foot steps were raising the anger already boiling from Tesla's little visit. Releasing Chase's he turned to confront who was there only to see Helen. She had her hands clasped in front of her and her head tilted to the side. He saw the oddest expression on her face, it was tender shock.

"I didn't think you would still be here." Helen commented. It was half true, she had expected him to leave after a few minutes of sitting with her, but he had stayed and waited. Helen had been watching him on the camera and saw a half dazed expression, almost as if he was remembering something. What drew her here was the pain she had seen in his eyes. There was more pain there than Helen had seen in him in the six weeks he had been at Sanctuary.

"You're beginning to under estimate me Helen that is a bad habit to develop."

When John was troubled he would tease, more like he would tease Helen. Back in the old days at Oxford she would smile at him and tell him to stop being funny, but now she just nodded and went to stand on the other side of their daughter. "I just received word from the London Sanctuary; Tokyo, New Delhi, and Moscow have all been hit. Our friend in the infirmary infers that London will be hit next. There have been a window of twelve hours between attacks, if we gather what we need and leave immediately then we will have seven hours to prepare. I've already sent a few things to them, a few abnormals, for defensive purposes, but...."

"You need to either field test Chase or Tesla's new toy."

"Yes," Helen took Chase's right hand in her own and looked down on her daughter, still unconscious.

"Incase it has escaped your notice she is still unconscious." John snapped.

"If you are going to kill each other, please step away from the aching abnormal." Chase muttered as she tried to rub at her eyes, but her hands were still restrained. One minute she was there and the next she was standing next to her father. She swayed lightly, grabbing her fathers shoulder, the world soon righted but her vision was blurry.

"Sweetheart, how do you feel?" Helen asked the scientist kicking in as she strode over to Chase to check and make sure her daughter was going to be fine.

"A little dizzy, a little sore, and oh yeah, I feel like I was hit by a bus, but all in all not too bad." Chase sounded like her usual sarcastic self. It was a trait she and Ashley shared in common. She only hoped that she could have a chance to match sarcastic, flippant, remarks with her sister again.

"You seem to have a grasp of your abilities."

"What is this that I heard about going to London?" Chase didn't want to talk about how fast she had managed to teleport, it just meant she had learned faster than Ashley, and that was a fact she didn't want to acknowledge.

"McCray, the interim head of UK Sanctuary, has set up everything we need to try and contain Ashley and the others. But we need to leave now to have things set up in time. John and I will leave with Will, Chase I want you to follow us with Henry and Tesla."

"Sure, no problem. Let me go and get a few things then I will be ready to play taxi." Rather than take the stairs Chase only thought about her room and instantly she was there. She had only a split second to notice the color of the flash she left behind. Unlike her father's red flash, Chase's was a slight blue-ish green. It was odd enough, she didn't have to time to ponder it, retrieving her duffle she pulled out her gun belt with her 9mm's already holstered, spare clips, a bowie knife that fit along the back of the belt, and her two silver boot knives. Looking over everything Chase was satisfied she had what she needed in the event of a fight. Chase was about to leave when she looked back at the Vanity, a silver crescent moon pendant dangled from the hook. Ashley had a matching sun design that their mother had given them. When they had been small it was some random day to them, soon Chase would ask about that day, but for now she snatched up the pendant and slipped the silver chain over her head. They would need any and all luck to see them through this night.

**LONDON SANCTUARY:**

Chase appeared holding Henry's hand and grasping Nikola's shoulder. She had managed not getting them killed, but they safely appeared in the main lab where McCray waited. He had a tablet in hand and went immediately to stand in front of Helen. Chase made a motion as if she was cracking her neck but she listened in to what they were saying. They talked about the security measures that were now in place and the abnormals that had been placed as a line of defense, all in all just boring information that wouldn't suit Chase at the time. She stepped away from Henry and up to her mother's right side just as her father flanked Helen's left.

"Looks like you have a couple of body guards." McCray joked as he handed Magnus the tablet, but he slide his gaze to Chase. When James had still been alive, the late head of house had told him about the young abnormal he had housed years ago. James had said she was special, but his friend and mentor wouldn't elaborate. Now, McCray could see it, she was special and only time would tell how special she would become.

"Considering she is the smartest person in this room right now, yeah, I would say she would have protection." Chase said with her hands on her hips.

"Excuse me; I am the smartest person here." Nikola announced pointing at himself.

"Mr. Tesla, your lab has been set up per your instructions and it ready and waiting for you to complete your project." McCray stepped in.

"Very well, lead the way. I require wine, the good stuff, none of the supermarket cheap swill."

"Certainly, sir."

"Will!"

Helen, John, Chase, and Will all turned as a slender brunette came running into the lab. She bypassed all of them and straight into Will's arms where she fused her lips to his. Chase leaned her head to the side, trying to see between them, their bodies were so close together no light would pour through. Just as they were about to run out of air they pulled apart with the brunette fisting her hands in Will's jacket.

"Hello Dr. Magnus, I would stay longer but I want Will to tear off all my clothes before our impending doom."

"Clara!" Will shouted as she dragged him out of the lab.

Chase tried, she really did, but a laugh burst free until she wanted to fall out the floor in stitches. Despite the impending doom, as Clara so elegantly put it, the little scene between her and Will had a note of humor to it. Enough humor that Chase felt the need to laugh. She knew she was a lone in the laughter but that was ok, she was in desperate need for a good laugh, and what a laugh it was. Seeing Will dragged around by a girl half his size was enough. "Sorry, but... I needed... the laugh." Chase managed to say in between laughs. A couple of deep breaths and she was calm and composed.

"Are you quite through?" Her mother asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Where do I need to be?"

"For now, just cool your heals. Nikola has to finish his weapon and Henry has to make security upgrades while I work with McCray."

"Okey dokey, that means the library for me, gotcha." Chase ambled off. She was aware that her father stayed behind and was having a muted conversation with her mother. For the smallest moment Chase contemplated lingering outside the door of the lab, straining her hearing, just so she could listen to what her parents were saying, but her feet kept taking her closer and closer to the library.

**LIBRARY:**

John had tried talking to Helen, but she had quickly turned it into a fight, he tried to voice concerns about her safety. But she had shot those concerns down and told him to leave her alone. When he had finally tired of her anger and recriminations John left. The EM shield was active so he couldn't teleport up to the Library, he had to walk, but the walk had done him good. It allowed him to clear his mind and settle his anger, store it until the coming battle. Walking through the doors he found Chase stretched out on one of the couches, a blanket draped over her, and a book in her hand. She had her other arm pillowed behind her head, all focus was on her book, but even John could tell that she was not merely reading the words, her mind was preparing for the attack.

"Enjoying a great work of literature?"

"No," Chase held up the book she was half reading. _HEAT WAVE by_ RICHARD CASTLE.

"Oh the literature of today's youth, what a sad commentary."

"It's not like I'm making you read it, but if you need something to do, pull up a chair and find a good book or you can glare off into the middle distance."

"You're not even looking at me, how do you know I'm glaring?"

"Because I know you, and I know your mannerisms. You're glaring because mom won't take you concerns seriously." Chase said, nonchalance ringing in her voice.

"Eves dropping is impolite."

"Yeah, yeah, what happened, she shoot you down, again?"

John didn't answer; instead he rose from the end of the couch and searched for the brandy he knew James had to have stocked. The late James loved a snifter of brandy while he read a good book. John just wanted a belt, if anything; he wanted to take the edge off. Waiting is what ate at his nerves these days. Back when he had been the Ripper, everything was about control and waiting. He had had waited for the right whore to walk by, the right time to strike, and the right time to mutilate her. All of that took time and the ability to wait.

John's eyes scanned the cabinet next to the fireplace and low and behold there was brandy. Grabbing a glass he poured a generous amount. Enough to take the edge off, not enough to impair his judgment or dampen his fighting abilities. "Can you pour me one of those?"

"You are too young."

"I'm twenty-one dad, old enough for a drink."

"No," John turned to face Chase. She didn't need the alcohol in her system. If Chase was going to fight with a level head, then she wouldn't need the hindrance floating through her system. As that line of thought passed through his mind John set his glass down and took a seat at the end of the couch Chase occupied.

"Where was this concern when I was knocking back shots from a bottle of Tequila at home?" Chase asked sarcasm dripping from every word.

"I just want you to have a clear head," John leaned back draping his arms over the back of the couch. It reminded him of times when he would sit with James while his friend hosted debates about the Ripper case.

"Then shouldn't the same apply to you as well?" Chase asked as John sighed, turning his gaze to stare at his daughter instead of the bookcase.

"You remind me so much of you mother."

"Like what?"

"The eyes, the smile, and the slight way you tilt your head. All of that you got from your mother." John leaned to the side so he was close enough to lightly touch Chase's hair. She had ended up with his darker hair, his mother often called it cinnamon.

"But what of you can you see in me?"

"I can see my mother's nose, my father strong chin, and the same color hair." John joked. Chase smiled slightly, she rarely got to hear her father talk about the past, and she wanted him to continue, "You would have loved you mother in the old days. She had such a thirst for knowledge, a drive for life, not to mention a bit of a force of nature. I remember our days at Oxford were filled with…"

"With what?"

"Uh… maybe we should talk about this another time."

"Ok, then I'll just read my book." Chase sighed. She got up with her book in hand to find somewhere else to read. Her father had opened up about the old days, she had never seen him look at her so intently before, not in the eight weeks she had been around him. He had never even told her how much she reminded him of her mother.

"Chase, I didn't mean…"

"No, dad, I didn't mean to make you remember a time when things were bad."

John quickly rose from the couch to stop his daughter from leaving. How could he tell her that she didn't remind him of the bad, but reminded him of all the good things his condition forced him to miss out on? It was true he didn't regret not being around, but he did regret what he had passed on to his children, the violence, the rage, the human monster that resided in both of them. The monster the Cabal succeeded in bringing out in Ashley was the monster that resided in Chase as well. Both of his children were cursed. When he lifted his hands to cup her face, John didn't realize that his hands shook so, "You and Ashley, are all I have ever wanted, but what is in me has cursed you."

"You're taking too much blame."

"Chase," John dropped his hands and backed away.

"I forgive you, I really do. But you have to forgive yourself."

"Really, it sounds so simple coming from you."

"No, not really, I'm still working on the whole forgiving myself part."

John turned back to her as the depth of her words crashed over him like a tidal force. She knew what it was like to carry around shame, to carry around the blood of someone's life. Chase had stolen life, but the people she had killed had been her captor's her tormentors. Some would say she was justified in spilling their blood, but not Chase. She would dwell on every detail of her victims, just as John, himself, had done when Tesla shocked him back into his senses. After that John knew guilt, knew a deep seeded regret for the lives of the woman he had killed.

"You were defending yourself against…"

"No, I was murdering them."

"Chase," John reached out to her, but stopped.

"John."

Both John and Chase turned to see Helen standing in the doorway to the library. She had a worried expression on her face. At the same time John and Chase moved, only John stopped. He knew Helen wouldn't want him closer to her, no she would want her daughter, her flesh and blood to hold on to, not a man who had shattered her world and left her broken.

"Mom, what's happening?"

"In a few hours we are going to be hit. I need you to cover Clara. She had decided not to leave and I will trust her to your care."

"Right," Chase said and started to move off.

"She can turn invisible!" Helen shouted after Chase.

"That's ok, I can see in body heat." Chase's voice echoed back to Helen and John.

"Lovely time for her to mention that," John muttered.

Helen had inadvertently moved closer to John while Chase hurried out of the room to find Clara. She just wanted to feel him close to her, feel the heat coming off him. He had always been higher in body heat than she had, and when he had been sane she would love to curl into his side and allow his body to lull her, calm her nerves. But that was then and this was now, and now they were at war.

"John, I need you…"

"I'll wait here just in case Ashley shows."

"Do what you need to do to incapacitate her, not kill her."

John wanted to yell at her, he wanted to shout at her how she could infer that he would kill his own child. "I will make sure you have time."

"Just…"

"Helen, go back to the lab and wait. It's all about waiting at this moment. Hopefully we will win this fight and our daughter will be in our hands instead of the Cabal."

He watched her leave, every step she took, took her father away from her. He wanted to call her back, take her in his arms, and take them some where far away where the war couldn't touch the, but they were fighting to bring their daughter home, it was about Ashley.

The minutes passed like seconds. Chase stood with Clara in one of the many halls of UK Sanctuary. Chase's muscles were bunched and ready for battle; she centered herself and waited, waited for all hell to break loose. She knew that her mother had placed her far from the fighting, but one of the sentinels might come this way, and it would give Chase the chance to test her new found control over her beast.

"So, did Will ask you to babysit me while…"

"My mother did."

"Magnus is your mother?"

"Yes, Ashley is my sister. You sound shocked." Chase rested her hands on her waist, realizing that she had left her weapon belt in the library. It was too late to go back for it. She didn't need knives or guns; she was lethal enough with out them. And that meant she would get more blood on her hands.

"No, it's just, you don't look like Magnus. You look more like Druitt."

"Cause he's my father." Chase sensed something coming. Holding up her hand she waved for Clara to get behind the corner. Jumping Chase crouched on the ledge of the huge window and she waited. Scanning the hall Chase saw Clara hiding. She was invisible to others, but not to Chase. She could see the heat pouring from her. If Chase could see it then she knew the sentinels could see her as well.

Gunshots echoed through the Sanctuary, which served to heighten Chase's senses more. She watched every shadow, listened to every sound. Running foot steps echoed and three of the sentinels came through the open door, and one of them was Ashley. Ashley kept running with the other woman, but the male stayed, looking around. Chase guessed that he zeroed in on Clara. A few more seconds and she could strike, only Chase watched as Clara skirted around the guy to hit the button to secure the hallway. Her back was turned so Clara couldn't see the man reach for her, his deadly claws extended, and that was when Chase dived for him. She tackled him to the ground and sank her teeth into his neck, locking her jaw as she sank her own claws into his back, trying hard to shred his heart, hoping against hope that it would subdue him. Chase had no such luck. He flung her off where her head smashed into a side stone wall. She saw star and felt excruciating pain when the man's claws sank through her chest.

Roaring, Chase could feel her blood flowing faster, the anger rise, and the blood lust take over. She reached up and broke the claws off that protruded through her chest. Stepping away, she turned towards him with killer intent. She wouldn't just incapacitate him, she would kill him. At least her mother would have a body to examine. Baring her teeth Chase waited and calculated her next move.

The man charged and Chase countered, sinking her claws into his back again, only this time it was for a hold. Bringing up her other hand Chase used the claws to slice the guy's throat wide open. The blood dripped and then the wound healed. She would have to get more aggressive. The man turned and hissed baring the vampire side of his alteration. Chase obliged him and hissed back, only her incisors extended to deadly points, imitating her feline cousins. He rushed her again; this time Chase let him take her down. They crashed to the floor, Chase's already bleeding head connected with the floor, and more blood flowed. But Chase recovered grabbing his head and twisted. The sickening crack of his neck filled to corridor, but Chase didn't stop there. Pushing him off of her she punched her hand through his chest removing his heart. One last ditch effort to stay alive the man used his right hand and his claws shot through Chase's chest again. Too much blood loss had Chase clasping back to the floor, the heart still in her hand. Blackness crept in and Chase descended into the dark. The last thing she heard was Clara screaming.

Helen watched as the elemental let loose his fire in an attempt to stop Ashley and the others that had joined her. Her skin was being burned beyond recognition and still she tried to come through the door. The sight sliced through Helen, all the way down to her heart. This is what the Cabal had done to her daughter, and what they had tried to do to Chase. A single tear rolled down her cheek as they teleported out. Round four went to them. As far as Helen knew they hadn't managed to get to the server and send a data burst. John had met up with them with his chest sliced wide open. Blood stained the front of his shirt and Helen had a feeling that it was Ashley who had done the damage, but he said nothing.

"Magnus!" Will shouted as he ran around the corner. He had fled in search for Clara, to make sure she was safe, so he could make sure she was alive.

"Will, what's happening?"

"It's Chase…"

That was all Helen heard. John had grabbed her hand and taken them to Chase's side. She was lying on the floor blood pooling around her body and the body of one of the guys the Cabal had sent. Chase twitched slightly and she tried to roll onto her side. Helen saw that her hair was matted with blood, from a possible skull fracture.

"John I need you to take her back to Sanctuary, get her to the infirmary."

"And you leave you here?"

"We're safe for now, John just go."

"With you and Chase, she will need medical attention. I can come back for the others." John said and before Helen could say anything he took the back to Sanctuary so Helen could tend to Chase. John looked down at Chase's lip body in his arms; he had to look really careful to see the slight rise and fall of her chest to make sure that she was still alive. He lifted her on to the gurney, making sure to step back out of Helen's way.

Helen slipped the edge of Chase's black tank top up exposing the wounds around her left side. Dousing a cloth with alcohol Helen started to wipe away the blood. Scars were in place of where the wounds should have been. The healing she had gained from Nikola's blood seemed to be working. In a few days she would have perfectly smooth skin. But there was still the question of her skull injuries. The blood matted her hair, but the skin appeared to be healed.

"Should she still be unconscious?"

"When a body goes through massive trauma it isn't uncommon for a temporary coma to set in and given her apparent skull fracture I would be surprised if she was still awake. It gives the body time to adjust." Helen turned and saw the blood ooze out of John's chest wound. She reached her hand out instinctively to pinch together one of the cuts, "Do you want me to take a look at those?"

"No, I have to go and get the others." John teleported out, leaving Helen's offer hanging in the air between them.

Helen walked over to Kate's bed and checked the dressing on her thigh. No blood seeped through. It was a relief that Kate was asleep. She took a moment to watch the mercenary under her protection. Kate had led them into a trap, then turned around and gave the Intel that the London Sanctuary was going to get hit. Something didn't add up, and Helen knew that Kate was apart of the equation. Chase's groaning brought Helen out of her musing. She looked over at Chase and saw she was moving around on the gurney.

"Chase I need you to remain still." Helen whispered when she rested her hand on Chase's shoulder.

"Can't I sleep in my own bed?"

"Will you stay in bed if I go with you?"

"I promise." Chase slurred. Helen came around the side of the gurney and helped her daughter up. Every step was slow as Chase gained more strength. They made it to Chase's room without Chase tripping or stumbling. Helen could tell that exhaustion, shock, was tearing at her mind. Chase collapsed on the bed, on top of the covers. Helen pulled the covers from the other side to cover her daughter and kissed her on the cheek here there was no blood. The blood was already dried and would be washed away when Chase woke and showered. Helen didn't want to leave Chase alone. Going over to the couch Helen sat down and pulled over the tiger stuffed animal and just held on to it while she watched Chase sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

John arrived back at Sanctuary, to the infirmary to look for Helen and Chase. Neither was where he had left them. He had gone back to the UK Sanctuary to retrieve the others, Tesla was back in his lab muttering about how the project never would have worked, Henry was making adjustments to their own security and the EM shield, and Will was taking Clara to a safe house. John tried Helen's office, the lab, and finally he made his way to Chase's room. There he found his daughter curled under three layers of blankets and Helen was curled on the couch clutching a White Tiger stuffed animal. Taking a tentative step closer John moved over to the couch. Helen was watching Chase as she slept curled into a ball. During the first two weeks John had watched Chase sleep just as Helen was doing.

"She's fine John, just sleeping."

"How did you know it was me?"

"You never vary your stride." Helen moved her legs so he could sit down next to her if he chose. John warily sat down and let out a sigh. Helen turned to look at him, the doctor in her kicking in. His wounds had not healed; they had not been tended to. Shaking her head Helen rose and rooted through Chase's duffle, hoping to find needle and thread, but what she found was a suture kit. What could her daughter need with a suture kit?

"What are you doing?" John asked as Helen moved back over to the couch, moved closer to his side.

"I'm going to tend to your wounds, since you saw fit to leave them open to the air."

"Helen…"

"John, shut up." Helen gave him a small smile as she unbuttoned the shredded shirt. She tried to keep her hands still, but this small action brought back such memories and feelings. But Helen had to remember that he was injured and needed medical attention.

"You don't need to do this, I'll heal." John tried, but his mind shut down as Helen's probing fingers set to work, and then came the sharp prick of the suture needle, the gentle slide of the thread, and then the action was repeated. He knew that some sections of the cuts were deep, but others wouldn't need stitches.

"Some of these aren't too bad, but the top ones will need the sutures."

John groaned as one of the sutures pulled too hard. Helen was as gentle as she could be, but in order to seal the wound she had to pull the skin together, but that didn't mean it couldn't hurt. He grit his teeth and another groan rumbled in his chest. John savored this moment he had with Helen, even though she was tending to his wounds, wounds that were inflicted by Ashley. Another sharp tug had John's hand gripped the fabric of Helen's slacks. His fingers dug in as she finished the deeper of the scratches, the only one that needed such a manner to keep the skin together.

"We couldn't have done this in the infirmary?" John groaned again as another tug pulled his flesh too tight, and his fingers tightened in the fabric of her pants.

"You're fine."

"You're pulling too hard."

"I'm almost finished." Helen uttered and John let go. She turned to look for scissors, but there were none. Leaning forward Helen snagged the end of the thread in her mouth and used her teeth to cut it. When she sat up Helen noted he had a strange look on his face, "There, all done."

"Thank you." John uttered as he moved past her. He wasn't headed for the door; no he was heading for Chase's duffle as well. In it he pulled out a black button up shirt. Rather than change in the room, John walked out on to the balcony, facing the water. He knew Helen had followed him, he heard her foot steps echoing his. Over the past weeks she had been eager to get away from him and now when he left a room it was she who followed him not the other way around. John slid the fabric off his shoulders and draped it over the railing while he replaced it with the new, clean, black shirt. Arms came around him. Her left arm wrapped around his waist, and her right hand rested over his heart, her fingers gripping the fabric, holding tight. John reached his left hand up and covered hers, his breath coming out in a shudder. This was the most she had touched him since he had come to the Sanctuary six weeks ago. Her touch brought him as close to heaven as he would ever get, and at the same time it condemned him to the lowest pits of hell.

"I'm sorry, John." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, it is I who betrayed you. I failed us," John turned and stared into her eyes, there he saw tears bring but she refused to let them fall.

"If I could change…"

"No, don't. I wouldn't change anything of our time together. Not even the bad,"

"John I…" Helen trailed off and turned away. She was at a loss for words, and she always would be with John when they weren't fueled by anger. But here, now, out on the balcony of their daughter's room, she had no words. Her feelings were jumbled up in her head and her heart was in her throat. She wanted to tell him that she forgave him for what he had done, but trying to form the words was another matter. Every time she went to say them they got stuck. Her heart was screaming them, but her mind whispered doubt, whispered if he had truly changed or was he playing her. Helen looked to their daughter, to Chase, who was still sleeping soundly under her blankets. She and John had created Chase and Ashley when they had been in love. Why was it so hard to tell him that she still loved him? Her heart thundered whenever he was close. She could feel his hands on her shoulders, feel his lips on hers, and when she knew he was not near, she yearned for him. Her mind was screaming logic, her heart poured out the love she had kept locked away from all but her daughter's.

John watched Helen, her back stiff, her shoulders set, but her head lowered. She was fighting something, something she would not tell him. Something she was afraid to tell him. Helen had always been proud and independent, but now her pride was costing her. He knew he still loved her, but that love was tainted by the blood of the woman he had killed. And he had tainted it more when he had left Ashley at the mercy of that lizard creature. He had so much to atone for, if only she would let him prove himself.

"I don't know what to do John. I'm committed to saving my Sanctuary network, but will it cost me Ashley in the process?"

His arms came around her as he said, "If there is a way to save our daughter then you will find it." John realized that she was letting herself be vulnerable with him, here in private. It was more than she had allowed in the intervening weeks. John felt torn, his heart ached for her, but his anger boiled for the Cabal and what they had done to Ashley and what they had tried to do to Chase. He tightened his hold and let his warmth seep into Helen, she needed something solid, something real, and for the moment it was John and the strength he could offer. Tomorrow would be soon enough to tackle all the questions he had, and tomorrow would be soon enough to figure how they would take back Ashley.

"_Chase?" A voice called, distant, as light as the wind._

"_Ashley?" Chase opened her eyes and she was in a meadow, a blue spring sky over head and the warm breeze whispered through the grass._

"_Turn around."_

"_Ashley, how are…"_

"_I need you to listen, I don't have much time. Chase I need you to convince mom to… make Tesla's weapon 100% effective. She needs to give him the blood she took from me before I betrayed them."_

"_Ashley that will kill you!"_

"_Better dead than living the life of a mindless automaton. Please Chase; you have to do this for me."_

"_But Ashley, I'm the reason…" Chase trailed off as Ashley came closer. She put her arms around Chase and just held on._

"_No, Chase they had this planned for a long time."_

"_Don't ask me to do this, I can't, I won't. Together forever, you remember that?"_

"_Chase, please…"_

"_No, mom will find a way to save you. You just have to hold on."_

_Ashley embraced her sister one more time, holding tight, imprinting the feel of her sister on her skin. She needed something of her family in the waking world; she needed something to fight for._

"_I have to go."_

"_I love you."_

"_I love you too, baby sister." Then Ashley was gone and Chase was alone in the sunny meadow. _

Ashley was pulled out of her sister's mind and back into her body at the Cabal facility. She tried to hold on, tried to fight them, but in the end they were too strong. The one hope she had was that her mom did indeed find a way to cure her. During that attack on the UK Sanctuary she had suffered heavy damage; it brought her back into herself when she had returned to the Cabal. Ashley had the presence of mind to try and contact Chase. She had sensed her sister in London, but she had been under heavy control. It kept her from defecting. Her personality was still prisoner to the Cabal; it was a manner of biding her time. Soon everything would end; one way or another.

Chase sat bolt upright in bed, in her bed. Seeing Ashley in her dreams had spooked her. She knew her parents were near but they weren't sitting on the couch like she expected them to be, no they were out on the balcony. How could she tell them that Ashley came to her in a dream and asked for them to kill her? Nothing in this world would make Helen Magnus take the life of her daughter. Chase watched them closer and saw her dad was holding her mom very close, comforting her, whispering that everything was going to be fine. Witnessing this almost made Chase feel like an intruder on their private moment. Rising from the bed Chase crept closer to the open door, if nothing else, she wanted to watch them. One step out of bed and some sound made its way over to them. Chase watched as they pulled apart and looked at her. Her mother came back inside from the balcony, coming immediately over to Chase.

"How's the head?"

"Splitting like a cord of fire wood, but that's not the least of my problems. I look like I work in a slaughter house, so I am going to hit the showers. You two continue what you were doing." Chase moved quickly passed her mother and headed out of her room. Later, after she was showered, she would tell them of her dream, of what Ashley had asked for. She had to take the time to make the words fit in her mouth. Her sister had asked for death. It was something Chase would broach with caution, she would not be the reason her sister died.

Helen watched Chase leave; it reminded her so much when Ashley would leave in the middle of the night. They lived their lives at night it seemed. Always hiding in the shadows, rarely had the light touched their lives, but now all there was darkness, and Helen wanted light. She wanted the dark days to end, she wanted her family back. She sank down to the edge of Chase's bed and heaved a sigh. Helen heard rather than saw John move over to stand in front of her. What she had shared with him out on the balcony was more than she had shared with anyone. She was reaching her emotional limit and most of it due in large part to John Druitt. He stirred up emotions in her that Helen thought were long dead. When she had found out that he was the Ripper, her world had been destroyed. He was right, John had failed them.

"Where have the last twenty years gone John?" Helen only watched the door, "It seems like yesterday I was bringing Chase into this world, watching her grow, watching the bond between her and Ashley deepen. And now for it to come to this seems…"

John knelt in front of Helen; her pain was calling to him, bringing him into her world. He wanted to take that pain from her if he could. All he could do for her was listen, listen to her memories, her laments, and her anger. John reached out his hand, rested it gently on her knee, and watched as she turned watery eyes on him. Lately Helen bounced from anger to sadness, no joy, no happiness. Her constant companion was sorrow. John stood, taking Helen with him; he gently pulled her out of the room. It wouldn't do for her to remain here; she needed a change, a change in scenery. Without words John led Helen to the garden. If he could keep her alone with him, then he might be able to lure out the Helen who used to smile, used to laugh, and used to tease. To do that he would have to dredge up the past, make her talk about a time when they had loved and lived for that love.

Chase stood under the hot spray of water watching her blood flow down her slim body. Line after bloody line flowed down her and she remembered how savagely she had fought. If she focused hard enough she could still feel the beating heart in her hand, that in itself was enough to make Chase want to vomit. She could taste his blood, warm and metallic, sliding down her throat. Chase had tasted his blood and his flesh. Just the thought made bile rise in her throat. She sank down to the tiled floor, lying on her side; Chase let the hot water pummel her flesh. If she could she would lay there for hours until she felt human, a human she would never be again. Fighting back the urge, she couldn't stop herself. Chase came to her knees and vomited up the blood she had taken from the super abnormal. Small chunks of his flesh accompanied the blood, making Chase feel more like an animal, a killer. Her stomach empty Chase settled on her side bringing her knees up to her chest. She let the water cascade over her. Her fingers traveled the healed scars on her chest, they should have killed her, should have shredded her heart, but her she was alive, lucid, and feeling sick. The way she had killed that man would haunt her like the rest, her greatest sin was her savagery, born in the bone, flowing through her blood, whispering in her mind, calling to her to unleash her inner monster. This was her father's gift, and her father's curse to them. Yanking her hand away Chase tried to contain her sobs. If Ashley was here, then she would know what to do. Ashley always knew.

Henry had been passing by the shower when he had heard the stifled sobs through the door. He wasn't sure if what he was hearing was right due to the pulsating water. Taking a chance he opened the door and immediately scented Chase, scented her pain. Closing the door he rushed over to the stall and yanked back the curtain. She was curled up on the tiled floor, tears being swept away by the water, by cold water slowly turning her to ice. Henry turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it around her he pulled her out and sat on the floor with her in his arms. Henry had known Chase most of his life, they had grown up together, and now to see her like this tore at his heart. Everyone's emotions were running to anger, pain, despair, and all because of Ashley and what the Cabal had done to her. As it stood there seemed to be no way to bring her back and that meant the Cabal was winning. And it was tearing them apart.

Reaching for another towel Henry hurriedly dried Chase, she was starting to shiver, her teeth chattering. He had to get her dry and warm, the water hadn't been cold enough to do any damage but he had no way of knowing how long she had been in their either. Better to be safe than sorry. Wrapping his arms around her Henry stood so he could take Chase to her room. Henry just hoped he didn't run across Magnus or Druitt. It would look very bad for him to be carrying their naked daughter in his arms, their daughter who was only in a towel. That would definitely cast Henry in a bad way.

Helen had work to do, and yet she was sitting outside in the garden with John. She should have told him no, she should have said that she had work to do. The EM shield needed to be recalibrated, Nikola's weapon needed to be over hauled. If she had to, then Helen would give him Ashley's blood, the blood she had taken before Ashley had left, before she had betrayed them and she would be the one to stop Ashley, and the others. But as it stood, she was outside in the night with John sitting in her elaborate garden watching him watch her.

She mapped every line of his face, her gaze lingering over the bullet scar on his right cheek, the scar she had given him. Her eyes trailed down to his lips, his shoulders, his arms, and finally settling on his hands, Helen had always loved his hands; they had the ability to be strong and gentle. Unbidden a memory of unrestrained passion flashed through her mind. It was the night she had first given John her body, and with it her heart, the heart he later destroyed. But that night had been full of passion, fires ignited that still went on smoldering long after. His hands had been everywhere that night, until they rested on her writs and gently restrained her hands above her head so he could take his time exploring, tasting, and learning her body. He had been a welcome comfort, a quick familiar weight over her. His body fit to hers like he was made for her embrace and hers alone. Everywhere she could feel him and with her whole body she wanted more and more. Helen had wanted that night to last for ever. Secretly she still burned for him, the fire he had started in her still smoldered to this day. All it would take was the right touch and her defenses would crumble around her taking him into her heart once again.

Helen shook her head slightly to clear her mind. Her heart had sped up at the shear intensity of the memory. She didn't want to remember a time when she had been in love with him, and she most certainly didn't want to fall in love with him all over again. If he stayed much longer that was what was going to happen. Light glinted off steel. Helen focused her gaze once again on John's left hand and she noted the ring he wore. Never before had he worn any such adornment, but he did now. She realized that she had seen the same exact ring on Chase's left hand, right on her middle finger. Rising from her seat Helen grabbed John's hand and took off the ring so she could see it better.

"Chase has one just like this."

"Of course she does, it was a gift from father to daughter."

"John, this is the same symbol you left for each of the Ripper murders. Why would you wear such a mark, or give one to Chase?"

"I found the bands in Bhalasamm. Immediately one imprinted on me, carving the symbol on its own, the other imprinted on Chase. The ring acts as a genetic homing signal, a way I can go to her side, get her out of danger, or move her to a new safe harbor. Did you not wonder where I would disappear to when I wasn't with you searching for Ashley?" John asked holding out his hand for the ring. Helen placed the rapidly cooling metal back in his hand and watched as he slipped it back onto his finger.

"No, I merely thought you were… I don't know where you went."

"I went to Chase, to protect her, to move her to a new location to keep the Cabal from finding her. She has seen every slum, every backwater town in this world. It was mere coincidence that I placed her back at her starting point in South America." John confessed and turned his back. He looked up at the moon sinking low into the horizon, soon it would be dawn and a new day would start, a new day without Ashley. And what a sad day that would be.

Helen sank down to the bench, lowering her head, and clasping her hands. Everything was coming unraveled at the seams. Chase had finally come home to find her sister gone, John was quickly becoming her closest confidant, Tesla was actually serving the best interest of humanity, and the Cabal was gaining a foot hold. That was something Helen was intent on breaking.

John turned to look at Helen, which seemed to be all he was doing these days, watching her, waiting for her to yell or to cry. Those were the only sides he could get close to, her scathing anger or her heart wrenching sorrow. What he wouldn't give to hear her laugh, or to be teased. Her laughter could light the darkest places of his heart, when his heart hadn't been corrupted by the darker side of his nature, that very nature that now lived with in his children. For that he would always curse himself, feel regret, and try for eternity to atone for.

"You sitting that way, it reminds me of the first time I saw you."

Helen looked up, "What?"

"It was dusk, night was just descending, and there you were sitting under the oak tree with you head lowered and hands clasped on you lap. I remember thinking what an angel was doing looking so sad."

"You never told me this." Helen stood and went over to John; he wore a soft expression on his face. The mocking mask he often wore was gone, replaced by the gentle side of him she used to know so well, the side of him that put her at ease and comforted her. For a split instant she saw the man she used to love.

"I had seen you in passing. James and I were hurrying to the pub so we could enter into a heated debate on one of our lectures from that afternoon. I thought I would never see you again. Then the next day you walked into class, everyone was riveted, myself included."

"John, please don't." If she was going to head back inside, now would be the time, but her feet were rooted to the spot. Helen wanted to hear, and be taken back to a time when she and John were happy, when their love was the only thing that had mattered.

"I only meant to take your mind off of Ashley, if only for a little while."

"No, I appreciate the thought. But doesn't it hurt you to remember a time when things were…"

"Blissful?"

"Yes."

"Almost, but it guides me back to the man I used to be, the road is long and it is taking a while but slowly I am returning to the John Druitt you used to love. When all this is done…"

"You lose more of your soul. For this to be truly over for you, the council of the Cabal all have to be dead and buried and their blood on your hands." Helen said. This was the John Druitt who stood before her, the man who wanted revenge his way. She knew he would take matters into his own hands, maybe not by himself, but he would make sure to shed blood before the end, "You'll kill again John Druitt, I know you will." And with that, Helen walked out of the garden, heading back inside to her office. There was work to be done and it was past time that Helen figure out a way to save her daughter.

Henry had managed to make it back to Chase's room without anyone seeing him, which was the good news. The bad news was he had no idea how he was going to dress her while she was catatonic. Her eyes were open and she was starring off into the middle distance, but she didn't respond to him when he tried to get her talking. So, that left Henry to root around in her duffle for clean clothes. This was so not what he wanted to be doing. He would rather be working on the EM shield or listening to Tesla gripe and complain how his weapon never would have worked. Henry felt that to do this for Chase was an invasion of her privacy and her personal space. Sure she had kissed him in the garden, but for him to pull her out of the shower all naked and wet… Henry shook his head to dislodge that train of thought. He already knew that he would have dreams about that for many many nights to come.

Going back over to Chase he had pulled out a pair of bikini cut underwear, a bra, and a tank top, "Chase I really wish your were coherent enough to help me. It's kinda bad you being all catatonic and stuff, but I can't leave you in a towel, cause that would be worse. So if you snap out of it while I'm doing this, I am so so so sorry." Henry said as he slipped the thin scrap of cloth up Chase's legs. His hand disappeared under the towel and his fingers grazed her hips. Pulling his hands away Henry moved up so he could sit behind Chase. Her skin was cold to the touch, but where his hands touch heat instantly blossomed. Slowly moving Chase into a sitting position, Henry pulled the towel and threaded her arms through straps of the bra. He hooked the back closure together and had to fit the cups into place. 'Chase you owe me big time for this,' Henry thought as his hands cupped her right breast and the left as he fit the front of the bra over them. Next came the tank top and it would be the easiest. With it on Henry picked Chase up again and pulled back the covers so he could settle her under them. He was about to leave her when Chase's hand fisted in his shirt.

"Please don't leave." Her voice was quiet, a mere whisper on the air between them. Henry relented, he always had when it was Chase, and he had when it was Ashley. Kicking off his shoes, Henry cuddled under the blankets with Chase, his body heat rising as it came into contact with her cold flesh.

"Just get warm soon ok; I don't want Magnus or Druitt to find me like this with you."

"Don't worry, your heating me up," Chase turned and snuggled into Henry's open arms.

"Nice to see you snapped out of being catatonic." Henry muttered and just enjoyed the feel of Chase next to him. This was way better than her lying on the tile floor under cold water.

John took his time, he wandered the halls of the Sanctuary and every so often he would gaze at the time. Three hours had slipped by from the time he and Helen had been in the garden. More than anything her parting words had hurt him the most, even more than the bullet she had fired at him so many years ago. That was what she thought of him after all this time. She thought he was nothing more than a cold calculating killer who lusted after the death he would inflict. That man was gone, the primal rage that fueled him was gone, but what lingered was the desire for revenge and the want of his child's safe return. Ashley was his main concern, she had to be. When all was said and done, John would leave. Chase was where she belonged; she was home with her mother. She would be well off with out him.

John looked down at the silver band he wore, the identical one to the one that graced Chase's delicate finger. He gripped the band, intent on removing it, severing the tie to his other daughter, but in the end he left the band to rest where it had for six weeks. John couldn't leave her, he couldn't leave her still scarred and broken from the Cabal's many tortures. It would prove to Helen even more of the callousness in his heart. John let his hand drop as he made his way to Chase's room At least she wouldn't regard him with suspicion, no she would be happy to see him. He knew he was sticking close to her, but the image of her covered in blood, her own this time, had put fear into him. Chase had suffered severe damage just in trying to kill one of the super abnormals; she succeeded but paid a heavy price.

John stopped in his tracks, blood; Chase's blood had to hold more answers. That had to yield a treatment for Ashley. Helen had been right about something; he needed to start thinking like a Doctor again. He had to see Helen, but first to check on Chase to allay his mind that she was indeed healed and out of harms way.

Henry had a feeling, that certain feeling that came from being watched. He felt a shiver work its way up his spine and spiral out through his entire body. The wolf in him went on alert, searching for signs that he was about to be attacked, but the human in him just waited to see if the feeling went away. It didn't and Henry opened his eyes to scan the room. There he saw Druitt standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a certain fatherly look on his face that said if you don't get out something bad was going to happen. "Oh, crap."

Chase shifted and opened her eyes. She was still wrapped in Henry's warm embrace but his body had gone rigid. Looking to the door she saw why, her father stood there looking scary and murderous. She moved away from Henry and leaned over the other side of the bed looking for a pair of pants. Her hands touched on the leather pants she had tossed when she had gone looking for her weapons. Slipping the cool leather over her legs Chase quickly stood up and secured the buttons to keep them over her hips.

"Dad, I asked him to stay."

"You expect me to believe he was a gentleman while you were in bed with him."

"He has more manners than I do. I had sort of a breakdown in the shower and Henry pulled me out before the water got too cold."

"The shower?"

"Completely not how it sounds." Henry interjected quickly. John raked him with a withering stare.

"What happened?"

Chase paused and looked to Henry, she could tell her father that she had vomited up blood and flesh from the super abnormal or leave it as it stood that she had a breakdown.

"Chase Magnus, do not make me ask again."

"Heaven forbid you had actually been around when I was a child getting into trouble." Chase moved over to the couch to retrieve her boots, "I vomited up the blood and flesh of that super abnormal I fought." She looked away as she told him. Chase couldn't bear to see the look her father would give her. She clasped her hands together and lowered her head.

John watched his daughter; her position mirrored that of her mother when they had been in the garden. He took the few short steps over to her, knelt, and tried to catch her gaze. She wouldn't look at him. John put his fingers under her chin and turned her head so she looked at him.

"I'm supposed to be here to help save Ashley, and yet I'm the one with all the personal problems."

"Then you are in the right place." John lowered his hand and paused a moment to gather his thoughts, "I have to go and talk to you mother, and the conversation would run more smoothly if you were present."

"Oh, no, you are not going to use me as a buffer. If you've done something to make mom mad, you fix it yourself."

"You won't help your own father?"

"Not when you're the one who made her mad."

"Then you leave me with no alternative but to tell her about you and Henry."

"That is black mail, sir, and I will not stand for it."

"You're not standing, you're sitting." John pointed out a fraction of a second before he and Chase laughed. In the weeks past he had found that he could not stay mad at her. He could remain worried, but out right mad, that was beyond him even as her father. John had also discovered her use of humor was similar to his own, dry and full of sarcasm. It suited her. In recent weeks he had come to know how to laugh again. His daughter lightened his heart and filled it with joy in these dark times.

"Why am I always witness to your weird father daughter moments?" Henry raised his hand grabbing the attention of Chase and Druitt who was still laughing.

"Cause you froze in terror when my dad glared at you."

"Well, cause, he's scary."

"Am I now?" John stood and took a step closer to Henry. He smirked when the young man stepped away.

"Dad, let's not terrorize the man who keeps the defenses in tip top condition. And if you need me to be the buffer between you and mom then let's go. I've had my sleep quota for the day." Chase got up and forgot about her boots. She noted that her father kept an eye on Henry as they left her room and made the trek to her mother's office on the other side of the Sanctuary.

Helen looked up just in time to see Chase walk through her door followed by John. She immediately wanted to tell him to leave, but waited to see what he had to say. At least he had brought their daughter he would stay away from their past, at least that was what she hoped for. "What can I do for you John?"

"I thought of a way to possibly save Ashley."

"Pray tell."

"Use a sample of Chase's blood and turn it into a retro virus to combat the mind control." John stated. He had never been an attentive student, but in the intervening years he had read up on many medical fields, genetics a particular interest to him. John had once held the belief that if he could find some curative in his blood then he could find a way to prolong his life, in the end he had no choice but to search for Helen and put Ashley in danger. Helen trying to kill him had saved his life, and so had Tesla despite how the Vampire had saved him both body and mind.

"That is actually a brilliant idea, John." Helen rose from her seat. Her heart softened marginally towards him.

"Yes, well I have been to know to have an idea or two." John countered.

"Not often enough." Helen shot back. Just this once she would give him a smile.

"Question."

John and Helen turned, the familiar haze broken, to look at Chase. She had her hand raise and wore a perplexed expression, "Yes?"

"How is my blood going to help?" Chase asked, if she could keep from mentioning Ashley's death request then the more idea's everyone else came up with the better.

"You have many of the same genetic markers as Ashley; being twins I would hope the retro virus from you blood would jump start Ashley's personality."

"Substantial damage would have to be done to her for this virus to have any effect." John commented.

"John?"

"When I fought her, one of the blows I landed was to her heart. I saw a flicker of our daughter and then she was gone."

"I told you…"

"The blow was unintentional, I assure you."

"So, retro virus, good idea?" Chase interjected trying to diffuse the anger starting to build between her parents. They were either sad together, or angry at each other. Happiness would now no place in this house until Ashley came home.

"Yes, the only one we have short of killing her." Helen said, her good nature towards John vanishing as quickly as it had come. It also provided Helen with a possible way to save her daughter. If she could get away with not giving Ashley's blood to Tesla then things could only get better.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

Eight hours of staring into a microscope had Helen's neck cramping. Every hour she had been working meant one more hour they went without attack. The Sanctuary was going on twelve hours without so much as a security breech. Ashley and the others either had suffered more severe damage than Helen initially thought, or they were biding time, making sure their incursion went off without a hitch. Helen was going to make sure and have a few surprises planned. While she had been working on the retro Virus she had gone a head and given Tesla a sample of Ashley's blood, if anything it would help to dispatch the other super abnormals.

John had insisted on staying in the lab with her while she worked. Chase had been down earlier to see how progress was going, when she was told that the work was going slow she had stated that she was going to go and make use of the gym, but Helen doubted that was where her daughter had gone. Knowing Chase, she was at this moment slipping out of Sanctuary and heading into New City. Helen would have been more worried if it wasn't for the apparent silence of her Sanctuary for the interim. It seemed so empty with most of her residents holed up in safe houses and other secure facilities. Even though Henry was in his lab not fifty feet away, the void stretched and silence reigned over her Sanctuary. Yet, she was not unsettled, John was near her, and in an odd way he offered comfort in these dark times.

Helen pulled back from the microscope; her neck couldn't take it anymore. She moved her neck and heard it crack, but still the aches did not abate. Sighing she reached her right hand up and tried to work out one of the kinks that had formed. A hand stopped hers, making her turn, it was John. Helen dropped her hand as he moved her hair aside and set his fingers to work on her neck. His long delicate fingers worked over her skin in strong, yet gentle, movements. She felt the tension sliding away and the pain subsiding. John always knew how to touch her. Everywhere his fingers touched pain evaporated, and if she wasn't careful a moan of pure pleasure would fall from her lips. Helen brought her hand up to still his movements, it would be too easy to let him continue, she wanted him to continue, and she needed him to continue, but she wouldn't allow him to.

"Thank you."

"It was just a simple curative for you neck pain, nothing more." John smiled an amused smile; it was similar to the one he had donned before their trip to Bhalasamm. Secretly Helen enjoyed that smile and all the hidden meanings it had.

Silence stretched on between them as his gaze penetrated her. She wanted to turn away to concentrate on her work, but his eyes were captivating, they always had been. Helen remembered nights when they had spent time in front of a fire place, John would read to her and she would let his voice crash over her while she drowned in his blue depths. John reading to her had been one of her guilty pleasures that she often indulged in. It was true she loved to read a good book, but she enjoyed the book more when it had been John reading it to her. That was one of many fond memories she held of her John, the John before the Ripper, the John she had loved, still loved and wanted to love again. But too much time spanned between them and too much heartache.

"What do you think Chase is getting into to?" Helen asked breaking the silence and the spell of remembrance.

"Most certainly indulging her coffee obsession," John cleared his throat and sat a little straighter in the chair, "Or she could be with your resident werewolf, Henry."

"Well, Chase and Henry are friends, probably catching up."

"Yes, I'm sure that is what they are doing."

"John there is something dying to pass through you lips, what is it?"

John looked away. He could either tell Helen that the werewolf had been occupying the same bed as their daughter or he could tell her that Chase had had a breakdown. John was beginning to wonder if bringing Chase back here had been the right thing, throwing her into the thick of combat, making her relive and revive her inner beast and worst nightmare. He had seen the damage she had done to the super abnormal she had fought. The body was at this very moment being preserved in stasis down in the morgue. Chase had shredded the skin at the neck, even broken the abnormals neck, but she didn't stop there. She had put her hand through his chest and removed the heart. John had seen the security footage of the fight; his daughter had been brutal, more so than John had ever been when the Ripper held him in a dark, seductive, thrall. Before leaving the UK Sanctuary McCray had handed over the footage of Chase's fight, no words, he just handed it over. John knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would no show the recording to Helen. She had already seen what brutality Ashley had inflicted, she didn't need to see what Chase had done, even though the body of the abnormal was proof enough of how savage Chase could be.

During the short weeks he had been moving his daughter from place to place he had seen many different sides to her. It wasn't until the Cabal had found them in Rome did he realize how brutal she could be. He was still learning how to cover up for all the Cabal agents Chase had killed before coming back to the sanctuary. John remembered the first place he had taken her to, Rome, the city of roman glory from the ancient world.

_John had come back from the Cabal research facility with the security footage of Chase and her escape. He wanted to make sure that the Cabal didn't see his involvement in rescuing his daughter. The disc was in his jacket pocket when he walked through the slum apartment. Upon shutting the door John noticed tiny blood spatters. They were no there when he had left. No, when he had left chase had been sleeping in the back room. But now fresh blood stained the floor. The sound of muffled whimpering floated through the air, and it was coming from the back room. His first thought was Chase. All that mattered was getting to her._

_Careful of where he stepped john waked down the short hall and was greeted by the sight of more blood. It was on the walls, the floor, and a puddle under the small bathroom door. And there was Chase curled once again in the corner, blood smeared over her mouth and cheeks._

"_Chase?" John crouched down and reached out his hand slowly._

"_I couldn't stop myself; he came in the door and tried…" Chase blurted out fast, her words jumbled. She chook her head and tried to wipe the blood off her face._

"_Shh… You were merely defending yourself." John had a split second to move before Chase leaned to the side and vomited up the blood and the flesh of the man she had killed. He wondered what the Cabal had done to her, and now he knew, they turned her into a monster, a monster in human skin._

"_Something is really really wrong with me." Chase whimpered. John pulled her close and just held her. Anger boiled through him, anger at the Cabal and anger at himself for not taking her somewhere more out of the way. John stroked the back of Chase's head and thought of how he was going to get rid of the body. The blood he would leave alone, when he returned they would be there long enough to clean it up. John would have to take her to an out of the way place, a backwater town or up into the mountains, but he just had to get her away…_

"I have coffee and tea," Chase announced from behind them. John and Helen turned to greet her. They noted that she hadn't come down the stairs, due in part to the faint green blue glow that lingered around her. John was pulled out of his memory just seeing her smiling an holding the cups.

"You took your sweet time." John chided.

"Be nice, I have coffee for you."

"John, how could you defect to coffee?" Helen teased, she couldn't resist, even adding a smile.

"When you stay in South America, Columbia, long enough you have to adapt."

"Traitor." Helen whispered, amusement ringing in her voice.

John tossed Helen another amused smile. He was getting her to tease him, which was a good sign, and it was what he wanted.

"And for you mom, I brought Lavender tea with a drop of honey, a splash of cream, and a hint of lemon. Just like you used to have it when I was a kid," Chase smiled and handed her to cup. Then she turned to look up at the huge screens where results of the retro virus were being shown, "There's one part missing."

"What?" Helen stood beside Chase, her tea in hand.

"Are you encoding this to attack the RNA or the DNA?"

"DNA," Helen stated.

"But if you encode it to the RNA it will combat the mind control faster and it won't interfere with the healing abilities from the source blood that has been spliced into her DNA."

"Yes, that's… How do you know that?"

"I read a book once." Chase shrugged and scratched at the mark on her hand. During the first round of injections it had showed up. Oddly enough her mark looked a lot like the virus her mother was trying to create.

"You read a book?" John asked coming to his daughter's side.

"What are you a parrot?"

"Careful."

"Uh huh, yeah, sure. One of you is gonna have to give a little blood to make this virus work, well… So, anyone hungry?"

"Chase, you seemed to have recovered." John said as he took a sip of the luke warm coffee.

"Recovered from what?" Helen asked, she had been so wrapped up in finding a way to make this virus effective that Chase's earlier wounds fled to the back of her mind, "Are your injuries not healed?"

"No, no, I'm fine." Chase stretched out the last word and turned to glare at her father. She couldn't tell her mother that while she had been fighting that other abnormal all she wanted to do was bite a hole through his sternum and devour his flesh like the animal she was. Even at that thought Chase wanted to vomit again. This was the beast the Cabal had tried to beat out of her. She could feel it prowling in her mind; it only came out when she was in combat. A growl rumbled in her throat.

"Chase, if something has happened; I want you to tell me." Helen caught her daughters gaze. There was something lurking in Chase's eyes, something that was serious but Chase wasn't saying anything.

"Mom, I'm fine. I just thought I would help and try and expand my knowledge." Chase smiled tying to hide what she was thinking. Given enough time her mother would wheedle the information out of her, but for now her focus had to be in helping Ashley.

"Oh, the family moments you want to cherish the most," Tesla crooned from his perch on the last step.

"Someone should nail your coffin shut." Chase snapped. She made a move to attack Nikola but John put a restraining hand on her arm.

"I just thought I would let you know that the weapon is now 100% effective." Tesla brought over the bulky heavy weapon he had designed; only now it would kill the super abnormals, "I've done my job, now while it's quiet, I'm going to feast. A bottle of cold B+ blood has my name on it."

"Bloody Vampire."

"I heard that kitten."

Chase muttered something under her breath and smiled wickedly when Tesla turned around, shock coming over his face, "You should respect your elders young lady. Crude comments are always a mark of low breeding." Tesla hissed and backed away as Helen and John turned to him.

"You keep digging your grave deeper and deeper, old boy."

"It's a lot better than hovering around a woman who hates you."

"You would know."

"Gentlemen, enough. How long is this going to go on?"

"Until one of them is dead," Chase interjected and all eyes turned on her. "Ok, ok, I'm going somewhere else now."

Tesla had left and Chase ran up the stairs leaving Helen and John alone once again. Nikola's words lingered between them. It wasn't that she hated John, a part of her loved him, but a small part of her was afraid she would be consumed by him again and then destroyed.

"I should leave you to your work," John whispered and moved away.

"Don't go… please."

John stayed with his back to her for a moment, he needed to be sure what he heard had been right; he wanted to see if she had asked him to stay. Turning, John faced her and saw her need for him, the want for him to stay. He wanted to go to her, to recreate what had happened on the balcony, but despite the emptiness of the Sanctuary, those who were left could come down at the wrong time and it would disrupt what little trust he managed to win back from Helen.

Helen didn't know why she had asked him to stay, but she did. She wanted him close; she needed him close to her. John knew evil; he knew how to out whit his enemy and draws them into his trap. James had been right in his assessment of John, 'John draws his insight from a certain affinity with evil.' Helen wished it hadn't been the truth, but it was. As of late he had made the effort to be a man, not a demon, Helen only wondered how long he would remain on the side of good. How long would it be before he gave into his dark nature again? Helen didn't want to know the answer; she wanted to indulge in his closeness for now.

His back still to hers, John waited to see what Helen's next move would be. He let her make every move; it had to be her choice. The comment she had made earlier still weighed heavily on his mind, _'You'll kill again John Druitt, I know you will.'_ John wouldn't say she was entirely wrong; the person responsible for the torture of his daughters would pay in blood. He shut the door on that line of though as her cold fingers slid into his hand, intertwining their fingers. John looked down at his right hand and smiled. 'So, this is her move then?' He thought and squeezed his hand over hers. His breath instantly left his chest, maybe he and Helen would be back on the road they had originally started to walk together.

"I want you to stay, if anything I could use a sounding board."

"Then I will oblige, sweet lady," John raised Helen hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles before she withdrew and scowled at him, "Too much?"

"Much, too much." Helen once again sat down and looked into her microscope, only she was wearing a small satisfied smile. Maybe John could turn back the wheel of time and become the good, gentle, passionate man he had been when they had been at Oxford. Helen mentally kicked herself for the naïve though that had just passed through her head. John could never be that man again, even if he tried it would just be a pale shadow to what he had bee so long ago.

John took his place back in the chair and chuckled. He saw a slight shiver course over Helen and delighted in the fact he still had power over her body. And if he could then he would soon win her heart and prove to her that he could be a man, not a killer, but the man she used to love. More than anything he wanted to be that man again. If he could, he would spend the rest of his unnatural life washing away the blood he had shed.

Chase had come back down to the lab to get her coffee when she had seen her parents standing close together. Her heart lifted a little when she had seen her father raise her mothers hand to his lips and laid a gentle kiss to her knuckles. She had wanted to laugh a little at the small by play between them, but she sat on one of the steps and regarded them. John, her father, was relaxed in the chair opposite her mother. He had his right leg crossed over his left, with his right elbow braced on the table while his index finger and middle finger rested against his temple. Chase could barely see the smile her father wore, but she could clearly see the one gracing her mother's delicate lips. Every so often her mother would glance up and casually look at him and then back down to her work.

When they believed no one saw them, they could be at ease; they could be like they used to be. Chase scented the air and smelled peace coming from both her parents, but she could also smell the faint scent of love coming from them as well. The scent was hard to miss; it danced on the air with the slight smell of rose and orchids. So this is what their love smelled like. Chase had smelled love before, only each time the scent was different. But now, here, as she sat watching her parents, something in her jerked and had her heart in her throat. 'Could this be what they had actually been like?' She thought. If her father hadn't been driven insane, could she and Ashley have had a real family? Chase doubted it. Fate had a strange way of getting what it wanted out of life and out of the human pawns it so loved to torment.

Chase rose from her perch and slowly, quietly, and walked back up the stairs and out of the lab to afford her parents some alone time. They didn't need and audience, let alone the audience of their daughter. Roaming the halls she stopped in front of a painting. The painting was of Helen Magnus and her two daughters. Ashley was seven in the portrait and Chase was five. Both young in body, but the eyes held knowledge of a bygone era deep within their blue depths. There were so many roads that they could have taken, but to have ended up here was a cruel twist of fate. Ashley was the enemy and Chase had come home in the midst of sadness. Her family was falling apart. Shaking her head Chase turned away from the portrait, turned away from the time her family had actually been happy. Rather than stare at the past she headed back down to the residential cells where the big guy was. Maybe he would be up for someone to talk to, instead of throwing things.

Will had just arrived back from the safe house where he nearly had to drag Clara too. She had wanted to stay and help defend the Sanctuary again if it got attacked, but Chase had narrowly kept Clara from being killed. Clara had given him a blow by blow description of what Chase had done and Will had cringed. What should have taken him a three hour drive there and back took him eight hours to get back to Sanctuary. Clara insisted on him staying so she could tell him what Chase had done. He had seen the damage that was inflicted on Chase and the corpse she had left behind. While Druitt and Magnus tended their Daughter Will had tried to pull up the security footage for that hall, but both Chase and the super abnormal had moved too fast. Now, Will wished he had reviewed the file Watson had left on Chase.

Descending down the steps he had a spilt second to see Druitt and Magnus laughing and then the air became rife with tension at Will's sudden intrusion. The calm had been broken, Will walked down the rest of the steps and over to the lab table, "Clara is safe, along with the other residents. Do you have…"

"Yes, we may have something viable. John, actually, suggested a retro virus to over write the mind control that the Cabal has imposed on Ashley." Magnus said as she stood and pressed a button to bring down the circle of monitors.

Will looked up and saw what she had been working on, "This is it? This is going to help Ashley?" Will couldn't help but sound somewhat disappointed.

"It's only half complete. I'm trying to figure out which of us, John or myself, would be better to complete this virus."

"Well, then after that it should work?"

"Yes, and I'm going to have to figure how to get it into her."

"Helen, you are not going to go up against Ashley yourself." John rose from his chair and stood close to Helen.

"One of us is going to have to."

"Ok, well I can see you have a lot of work to do…" Will looked from Druitt to Magnus; there was this spark between them that seemed to sizzle. He didn't want to be around when it ignited and exploded.

"Sorry, Will, thank you." Helen nodded, but for the moment she wanted him to leave. She wanted to be alone with John and have the feeling of calm roll over her again. Helen needed the calm, she wanted it. It was helping her to work, odd as it may be, John presence did help her to work.

Henry stood in the shadows watching Chase as she watched the big guy. He had been by earlier and found Bigfoot sleeping. Something had made Henry come back here, but he knew the instant he saw Chase. She came home at a time of sadness and anger, but as soon as she came back the mood of the Sanctuary lightened a degree. Henry more than the others was overjoyed to see Chase home safe. He had always been closer to her when they had been children, sometimes he even thought that he was in love with her, but then she left.

"I wish you would take the cure." Chase whispered, but Henry had heard it. With his abnormal traits coming to the fore ground he could hear mice at the other end of the Sanctuary if he concentrated enough.

"He won't take it you know." Henry said and moved out of the shadows to stand next to Chase. She didn't react, she didn't flinch, and she only stood and looked at the Big Guy sleeping.

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to come out of the shadows." She murmured, turning her sly smile on him. Henry felt his heat rise at the sight of her.

"Yeah, well, you know, I wanted to see what you were doing before I bothered you."

"You never bothered me Henry." Chase whispered and pillowed her head on his shoulder, her eyes firmly planted on Bigfoot.

"So, uh, how are you injuries?" Henry asked. He wanted to keep far far away from the fact that he had to dress Chase after her break down and then the subsequent fact that her father had found him in bed with her. Even though nothing happened, the glare would haunt him down dark hallways for a while.

"Healed, but that doesn't allay the pain in my heart over the fact that my sister is now my enemy, at least for now."

"Very bleak words coming out of your mouth right now. Come on, let's go to the kitchen and get some chocolate milk and cookies and then…."

Henry had been unprepared for Chase crushing her mouth to his as he pushed him into the shadows. His back made contact with the wall and his chest was pressed to hers. The heat that radiated off of her poured him to him and warmed him even further. Henry caught himself, but he didn't push her away. Chase wanted comfort and Henry would do just that. Changing the angle of the kiss he had her pressed between the wall and his body. Running his hands down the back of her thighs Henry picked her up and braced her against the wall.

Kissing Henry in the dark was wicked, any minute someone, her mother, could come here and find the. It added to the heat a little more, stoking the pyre and burning higher and higher. Chase locked her legs around his waist, keeping him as close to her as she could, at least until they had to pull apart for air. Henry was drowning her in sensation, his taste and scent was a drug, his body pressed to hers.

"Chase…" Henry rasped as Chase ground herself against him.

"Henry…" Their mingled gasps were the only sound to be heard in the shadows. Chase leaned her forehead to Henry's and dragged breath into her lungs. He was all around her, his scent filling her lungs, and the taste of him was muddling her brain. After this attack, whenever the attack came, she wanted Henry to take her, wanted to make love to him.

Henry couldn't believe the taste of Chase, she was like liquid fire. He had always been fascinated by her, even when they were growing up. She had been a free spirit, going where the wind moved her. Once he had seen her in the garden, she was up a tree, and she had an intense look on her face. When he had asked her what she was looking at, Chase had answered that she was watching the lightening bugs dancing through the leaves. Just that simple child like answer and Henry was in love with her.

"We, really…. Should focus." Henry breathed out. As much as he wanted to keep her close to him, he had work to do. And if he didn't get it done Magnus would be looking for him.

"I know, I have… well I have nothing to do, but I could be doing something." Chase rasped. In truth she wanted to be doing Henry, but was right they should be focused. Any minute the Super Abnormals would storm the keep and deal out some serious hurt to them. Chase just hoped her mother completed the virus in time. It was the best solution for getting Ashley back. Standing on her own to feel Chase stepped to the side and turned her back to Henry. A terrible sense fell over; it was almost as if she could sense her own death, as clichéd as it sounded, Chase felt today was the day she could die.

Henry walked out of the shadows leaving Chase there, he didn't want to leave, but he did have work to do. He could hear her heart beat, the shallow breath she took, and she could smell her sweet scent on him.

After a few moments Chase left, taking the opposite way from Henry. There was something she needed to be doing, or there was something she could find to busy herself. Her mind wouldn't focus on a book, but maybe music would calm the savage beast lurking below the surface. She made her way back to her room and decided to blast her music. The vibrations rolled over her, soothing her, and the beast retreated to the dark recesses of her mind until it was needed. Stretching out on the floor, Chase let the sound waves flow over her body. It reminded her of times James would play music for her and tell her to absorb it, the notes, the feelings, and the mood of the music.

"_You have to let the music flow over you, sweep you up, and let it move your soul."_ James's voice floated through her mind and she had to smile. Chase hadn't had the chance to attend his funeral. When all was said and done she would go back to London and pay her respects.

Down in the lab Helen once again set to work after Will had left. She was running into dead ends in trying to combine all the components of the retro virus. Helen tried to figure out a way in not using either her blood or John's, but it was turning out she may very have to use them to complete the triangle. She sat back in the chair and sighed. Closing her eyes, Helen took a deep breath and felt movement by her side. Turning her head she saw John crouched next to her. A flash of them in the basement of Oxford careened in her mind. The breath left her lungs as instantly as she had taken it in. for a split second she could see John how he had been. He had been by her side then, his hand in hers, and some of his hair casting shadows over his eyes.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I… can you get me a needle. I'm going to add my blood to complete the virus." Helen turned away and looked back at her notes as she listened to John get what she asked.

John had seen a flicker of past emotion in Helen's eyes. She had seen something in his stance that triggered a memory, hopefully a good one from their all too brief romance. The time they had been together had been passionate, their love had burned like a supernova. '_Oh, John_,' her breathy gasp reverberated through his mind. What he wouldn't give to hear that from her again.

John grabbed the needle and walked back towards Helen. She already had the tourniquet on her upper arm and waiting for the needle. When he handed it to her, John noticed that her hand shook slightly. Helen attempted two times to stick herself, but her hand shock to much for what she had to do.

"Stop, stop, Helen you are going to hurt yourself." John laid his hand on her wrist to stop her third attempt, "Allow me to do it."

Helen watched as John gently took the needle and vial into his hand before he slipped the needle into her bulging blue vein. The slight stick made her jump but the dull pain fled as her blood sample flowed into the vial. With her blood she had hopes that she could save her daughter and bring her home before the Cabal had more time to endanger her. John grabbed a gauze pad and placed it over the small wound just as he removed the needle from her arm. Helen bent her left arm and held out her right hand for the vial of blood. John didn't give it to her, instead her crouched down, taking her left arm John laid a gentle kiss to where the needle had been. Her first instinct had been to push him away, but as his lips touched her skin the fire that burned low in her belly blazed instantly. Whatever negative feeling she had had for him in that moment flew out of her mind and there was nothing but the feel of his lips on her skin. The gentleness of his lips had heat flaring from her skin and spreading out all over her body. John had the softest lips of anyone she had ever known.

Running her hand down his cheek, Helen rested her fingers under his chin. Her intent had been to tip his head up so she could look into his eye, but John took her hand in his and gently kissed her fingers. His lips traveled from the tip of each finger and then back again. Helen wanted his lips on hers, she wanted to taste John, but if she tasted him would she ever stop? Would she let him go again if he slipped back into his murdering habits? Or would she allow him to consume her again? Did she want to be consumed? Helen had so many questions rattling around in her brain that she missed the quick movement of John as he fused his mouth to hers. His tongue invaded her mouth and with it his taste, the taste she had long yearned for. Helen was drowning and she didn't want to be saved.

John knew he shouldn't have kissed her, but he was now and there was no stopping him. He wanted to feel her close to him, and in the intervening weeks she had allowed him to stay just that, close to her. And now he tasted her again, her scent drugging his brain and allowing his mind to wonder back to the first time he had claimed her mouth. He had one hand locked in her hair and his arm wrapped around her waist so John could anchor Helen to the front of his body. It may be the wrong time to have his way with her mouth, something in John told him to take her. Helen wasn't fighting him off, she wasn't pushing at his chest to stop, deep down she must want him again.

Helen had to stop, she had to push him away, she had to shore up her defenses, she had to pull her heart back and lock it back into the box she had kept it in. She didn't want to be consumed by him again. She couldn't be consumed by him lest he destroy her again. By shear force of will Helen pulled back and dragged a much needed breath of air into her lungs, "John, please, don't make me burn. I don't want to be consumed by you again." Her voice was soft, but filled with fear, fear of the pleasure he could bring to her again.

John touched his lips to her forehead before whispering, "I needed to taste you, one more time, and even if you throw me out tomorrow I would leave with your kiss on my lips. For as you grant me passage into heaven, I am condemned to the depths of Hell."

Helen felt a tear slip free, a single tear. She swore she would never cry for him again, but he was as tortured as she. For a moment Helen let her body lean into his, she wanted to feel him. Her want would always be there, and at that moment she was going to give into it. John had been the one for her, despite the lovers she had had in the past, her heart always belonged to John as did her body. No other lover had fit with her as completely as John had. If she didn't stop now, she never would. Her resolve had been weakened during the time they had spent alone searching out news on Ashley. As much as Helen wanted to continue to be angry, infuriated, at John, she had to let loose that anger, if it meant reclaiming their child.

John pulled back, he had but he didn't want to. Helen had work to do and she needed all the time this reprieve afforded her to get the virus done. It needed to be complete so save Ashley. Ashley was the main goal; she had to be right now. Taking that step back was the hardest thing he had ever done. John bowed his head and waited for her to step back as well. After a minute Helen did step back, but John could tell she had as much trouble as he did. The kiss had been a truly grievous error, but his blood, his love, and his heart had compelled him to do so.

"I'm…" John had started to say but Helen covered his mouth with her hand to keep him silent.

"Don't, don't you dare try and take that from me with a half baked apology." Helen whispered before she sat back down to finish her work. John shook his head. He wasn't going to apologize for it. Instead, he had been about to tell her than in time he was going to take more, to make her body his once again, but now was not the time for such a declaration.


	6. Chapter 6

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

**10 HOURS LATER:**

The Sanctuary had gone quiet, everything seemed to stop. Helen sat up on the North Tower cradling the weapon Tesla had made. If the retro virus didn't work then she was going to be the one to stop Ashley. She had to, as her mother, and as leader of the Sanctuary network. That didn't mean her heart hurt any less. Twenty-two hours and no attack, they were all sitting on pins and needles. John paced the halls like a ghost. Chase held guard in the lab, the syringe of the retro virus concealed up her sleeve. Henry was in his lab monitoring defenses. And Will was doing a final sweep to make sure all the Residents were safely out of Harms way. Helen, John, and Chase had gotten into an argument about who was going to get the virus into Ashley, in the end Chase had merely take the syringe and walked out of Helen's office effectively ending the dispute. The only one left was Kate Freelander. Helen had let her go, but all evidence to the contrary; Ms. Freelander was still in the bounds of the Sanctuary walls. For now Helen would leave the young woman alone. If she decided to help in the fight then so be it, but if she fled then it wouldn't bother Magnus in the slightest.

Before coming up to the tower she had gone to see the big guy, her friend, and her man servant. With her she had a syringe of the Nikola's cure, she was tired of losing people she loved to the Cabal and he was not going to be another casualty of war they started. Helen had told him that under different circumstances she would have respected his wishes, but not this time, she needed him and she wanted him to live. And with that she left him alone to make his choice.

"Keeping an armed guard like the other two?"

It was Will. She had heard him come up the stairs, and had heard him come through the door, "Yes, I find myself in desperate need to think, to piece everything together. I can only do that from a great height, it helps me see things more clearly."

"Put anything into perspective yet?" Will asked as he sat down.

"Sadly, no. I just have hope, a hope that the virus will work and Ashley will be free." Helen replied. All she could do was hope. There was a shift in the wind and with it carried the sense of imminent danger.

Will was about to speak when his cell phone rang. Answering it Will had a split second to say Hello before a high pitched wine poured out of the speaker.

"What the hell."

But Helen knew what it was, the Cabal would attack and it would be soon. Standing up she and will headed down to the lab. Shortly this would end with the weakening of the Cabal, or the destruction of the Sanctuary.

John paced the halls, worry creeping into him with every step he took. He tried to calm himself, to prepare for battle, but more and more of that worry flooded his system. Chase was down in the lab, she would be the last line of defense and Helen was up on top of her tower. John wanted to by her side, offer her any comfort she needed, but he knew she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Words from the argument they had had crept back into his mind. They had been in her office squabbling over ho would try and inject Ashley with the virus.

"_John, you are going to have your hands full. Ashley is my daughter, I will do it."_

"_Helen, she will kill you."_

"_I'm her mother, I have to try!"_

"_Whatever the Cabal has done to her, Ashley is not our daughter anymore!"_

"_I'm willing to take that chance to save her!"_

"_Oh, for cryin out loud, I'll do it!"_

Right then and there Chase had snatched the syringe from Helen's hand and stormed out of the office. John dropped his head and smiled. That was Chase. She was the logical choice, they both knew it, but it was out of fear for her safety that Helen and John were arguing, but in the end Chase had solved the problem by leaving the room with the syringe in hand. Helen wasn't sure if the virus was going to work or not, but it was the best they had to get their daughter back.

John stopped pacing, something shifted in the air, warned him of the danger coming their way. The fight was finally coming to their turf and John would be ready. He had to put the worry and the fear out of his mind and allow part of the Ripper to the fore ground, the part of him that had honed his fighting ability. That part needed to be front and center if he had hopes of staying alive. A cold washed through him, it was the place in his mind he had gone when he had killed, and he went there now.

Chase melded with the shadows, allowed them to envelop her, consume her. She had to wait, let all the others take the fight, her job was Ashley. Sister against sister and hopefully the virus worked. Chase looked up when her mother entered the lab carrying Tesla's weapon. She didn't need make a sound, her mother knew she was close and she would remain close. Ashley was bound to show up. The beast she had feared now prowled through her mind waking up the primal instincts to hunt, to kill, to feed. But she wouldn't feed on her sister, she would save Ashley, or she would die trying. Even after her brief encounter with Henry the lingering feel of death still plagued her, _Today is the day you die._ The feeling careened through her brain and had her beast snarling in defiance, it would not die like an animal, it would live and prowl and hunt, death would not take it.

When it happened, it happened fast. Alarms blared and three abnormals teleported in, one of which was Ashley. She stopped while the other two advanced. Chase stilled her body, but Ashley kept her eyes on their mother while the other two attacked. Their mother fired, the abnormal to her left went down, but the one on the right got a mild dose of the weapon, but it was enough to send her down. Ashley advanced, extending her claws, she swiped. Their mother went down and with her the weapon. Blood poured down her arm as she looked up at Ashley.

"Ashley, I'm scared."

"Hey bitch, up here!"

It was Kate; she was up on the second level of the Lab with what looked like a rocket launcher. It wasn't enough to hurt Ashley, slow her down maybe, but not enough to kill. Ashley had a split second to react. She went down, her body being propelled backwards, and Chase came out of the shadows as the other female super abnormal stood up. Helen scrambled for the weapon and before she could fire the abnormal went down. Ashley was behind her, claws protruding from the other abnormals chest.

Chase took that time to strike and time seemed to stand still, all motion froze. Ashley had turned at the same time Chase stuck. Her claws went into Chase's upper abs, but they were angled up reaching her lungs and heart. Chase felt limp, blood flowing fast out of her wounds and onto her sisters hand, but she wasn't the only one to have struck. Ashley looked down and saw the needle plunged into her heart, direct root. Chase had enough strength to push the virus into Ashley before falling to the ground near enough at the same time as her sister. Only someone was behind her, holding her, screaming her name. Turning stunned eyes upward Chase saw her father. He had a few cuts on his face but nothing serious. She could register pain, fear, and love. There was love in his eyes and it was for her and Ashley.

"Chase, no, you have to stay with us." John pleaded. He put his hand to her abdomen and applied pressure. The fear he had locked away now burst free. His daughter was dying, in his arms, and he couldn't help her.

"Dad… I… can't breath." Chase felt as if she were choking, blood flowing into her lungs. She coughed and tasted her blood, soon she wouldn't taste anything.

"Just hold on. You have to hold on." John whispered.

"Dad… please…"

"Helen is Ashley…"

"She's unconscious," Helen hurried over to Chase and looked into the eyes of her daughter. She shouldn't have gotten hurt, not like this, but she saved Ashley. Helen couldn't let Chase end like this, not after this.

Chase could feel the life slipping out of her. Darkness invaded her vision and numbness was setting in. Soon she would die, she knew it, had felt it, and now it was here. The beast tried to keep her awake, tried to heal her, but there was too much damage. The breath went out of her lungs and she succumbed to the darkness.

John felt it, but he didn't believe it, his daughter, Chase had died in his arms. Her body went limp, no air filled her lungs, and her heart had stopped. Death had taken his child. Pain ripped through him, he wanted to howl to rage, to scream, but in the end he pulled her close and willed life to beat in her once again. He looked at Helen, tears in his eyes as well as hers. She was going to tell him there was nothing he could do, that she was gone. John leaned his head down, burying his face in Chase's hair and wept.

_Chase felt as if she were floating, all the pain was gone, her body and mind were at peace. It was a wonderful feeling, something that would embrace her take her burden and let her forget the evil she had done. This was the afterlife and it was nice and warm and inviting. But something kept her anchored, she couldn't move on._

_Opening her eyes she saw the cathedral, sunlight streaming in, and she saw Ashley. Ashley wore all white with her hands braced on her hips and a sly smile gracing her delicate mouth._

"_If this is death I have to say, this sucks." Chase said sarcasm dripping from every word._

"_It's not death, no, this is a crossroad. You can either move on, or you can breathe. I really want you to breathe." Ashley said coming close to Chase._

"_Incase you forgot you shredded my lungs, not gonna be doin much breathing."_

"_Chase, we heal, like vampires. Your body is healing, you just need to breathe. Remember what we said when we were kids, 'Together Forever.' That's us, that's our life."_

"_Ashley, are you dead?"_

"_Me? No."_

"_Then why are you here?"_

"_Because you and I are linked. Twins, sisters bound by blood. I won't go through life without you."_

"_I'm afraid to live. Everything that I have done…"_

"_That's the whole point of life, fear comes with that. If I'm going to live, you are too. I need my sister; I want my sister by my side. NOW BREATHE DAMNIT!"_

Air rushed into her lungs, her back arched, Chase choked on each ragged gasp of air. Her heart raced to life, blood flowed through her veins, and she was alive. Arms wrapped around her pulling her further back into her body, keeping her on the mortal coil. Chase knew it was her father; his scent soothed her and his arms held her close. Opening her eyes she saw her mother tending to Ashley, the needle sliding free of her flesh.

"Helen!"

Helen turned and was frozen. Chase stared back at her with shining blue eyes. John was still holding onto her for dear life like any minute she was going to die again. Looking away Helen looked at Ashley, she was still unconscious, it had been a good idea to put the sedative in with the virus, to allow it time to work and keep the pain to minimum. Getting to her feet Helen came over to check Chase, first she had to see to the wounds, which were gone, only blood stains remained. Chase blinked once, twice, and then she too was unconscious just as Ashley was.

"What should I do?"

"When I take the shield down, take her to the infirmary."

"And Ashley?"

But Helen didn't answer; she turned away and went to the computer. He didn't need her to tell him that the shield was now down, he felt it. The tingling sensation was gone. With a thought he teleported Chase and himself to the infirmary where he lifted her into tone of the beds. Every few minutes he checked her pulse to make sure her heart was still beating and that breath still filled her lungs.

Helen heard John leave as she turned back to Ashley. Going over to her daughter Helen pulled Ashley's upper body into her lap and let her tears fall while she stroked her hair. So much time spent apart, Helen thanked God that the virus worked, or she hoped it had. Helen had reached her emotional limit, but her daughters were home, her family would survive.

"What should we do with her?"

Helen looked up and saw Bigfoot standing at her side, "Help me take her to the infirmary."

She watched as he leaned down and gently scooped Ashley into his arms. Her body was limp, but she was alive despite the needle Chase had plunged into her heart.

**3 DAYS LATER – THE AFTERMATH**

Helen sat in her office fighting the urge to run to the infirmary. She had been coordinating efforts to find new homes for the residents that had been displaced the by the destruction of the Moscow and Tokyo Sanctuaries. But that didn't stop her from pulling up the security footage for the infirmary just to assure her that Chase and Ashley were still there, still safe. For three days both girls had been unconscious, their bodies going through different traumas. And there was John, still sitting in the same chair between both beds. He, like their daughters, had been there for three days. Yesterday, hunger had finally managed to draw him out, but after he ate he was right back in the chair watching them.

"Magnus, hey, look you know Henry and I got things if you want to be with Chase and Ashley." Helen looked up and offered Will a smile.

"Am I that obvious?"

"You're a mother."

"John is with them. He is affording me the time I need to rebuild my network." The truth was Helen wanted to give John time so he could allay his fears that his daughters, were safe, and that they were indeed on the mend.

"Magnus, you should be there with them." Will urged as he took a seat in front of her.

Helen bowed her head, "He cried Will." She could still hear his low sobs as he murmured Chase's name over and over. Her heart broke for him, while her own tears flowed for that of their daughter. She couldn't face Chase being dead, her lifeless body in John's arms; it was too much for her. But when she breathed in a sharp breath Helen felt her world stabilize.

"What?"

"John, he cried while he held Chase's dead body. I have never seen him shed a tear, never. Not at Oxford, not when his mother died. But Chase…"

"She did die in his arms, which would be enough to jump start his paternal nature." Will caught Helen's gaze and continued, "Go to the infirmary, sit with Ashley and Chase, and let us worry about the new Residents."

Helen relented and pushed away from her desk. She would leave the running of the Sanctuary to Henry and Will. Now she had to be a mother, her children were in the infirmary and she had to be there not just for herself, but for John as well. Ever day he spent near her; she was slipping back into the comfortable familiarity with him. If he stayed much longer then he would occupy her bed, Helen knew it, and her heart ached for him as well as his touch. It was only made worse by that kiss he had bestowed upon her down in the lab. That was the last time he had touched.

John sensed when Helen entered, in more than half a century her scent had not changed. But he remained in his chair keeping his gaze firmly on his daughters. Three days ago he had had his world stop, Chase had died. John thought he would drown his own grief as he cradled the lifeless body of his daughter, the daughter he had saved. In that moment, that single eternal moment, John would have given anything for Chase to breathe, for her heart to beat. And then she had. Air filled her lungs and life beat within her again, his daughter had defied death due in large part to the vampire blood flowing through her.

Helen sat down next to him, took his hand in hers, and just sat with him. Still he refused to look at her for fear that if he stopped watching either Chase or Ashley that they would disappear.

"Why don't you get some sleep?"

"I don't sleep Helen, you should know that."

"John, you have been in this same spot for three days, get some rest. Ashley and Chase are not going anywhere." Helen assured him, more than she did herself, but she as just as concerned as John.

"I am quite content to stay where I am."

"Can't say I didn't offer." Helen replied and tightened her grip on John's hand. She turned her gaze on Ashley, mapping every line of her daughters face. Nikola had reported that all trace of the drug they used to alter her mind was slowly leaving her system, but the sedation was to minimize the pain. The abnormal gifts the Cabal had spliced into Ashley would now be a part of her, just as they were a part of Chase.

Chase's wounds had been far more extensive and the blood loss had been massive. The short time her body had died, the vampiric healing process had managed to repair a small portion of her lungs and mend part of her heart, it was enough for her to live again. But too much of her blood had been spilled, some of it painted Ashley's hand while the rest seeped into John's clothes. Just as he did with Ashley, Nikola had put Chase under heavy sedation to allow her body to rest and repair itself. Helen hoped that they would wake up soon; she needed them to wake up.

John lifted their joined hands and rested Helen's elbow on his knee as rested his cheek against her knuckles. As soon as she offered fatigue slammed into his body and muddled his mind. Sleep, how long had he gone without? He couldn't remember the last time his head had rested on a pillow or blankets had enveloped him in warmth.

"There is a bed with your name on it John. Please go and rest."

"I'm fine, truly, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. I can only deal with two sedated daughters, not their father pushing himself to the point of exhaustion."

He looked at her then, truth of her words reverberating in his mind. John sighed, stood, and swayed on his feet. But Helen was there with a steadying hand on his arm.

"Henry has the shield down for repair, so you don't have to walk." Helen informed but was unprepared for him to teleport both of them to the temporary room he had taken.

John sagged slightly, his breath short; she could tell his energy stores were fast being depleted every second he stood. Helen saw the weight of exhaustion and she relented. Wrapping an arm around his waist Helen helped John to the bed. The small act reminded her too much of a time when he had been her patient, but she clamped down the memory and helped John settle himself.

She moved away from him them as his head made contact with the pillow. Sleep took him instantly. Helen was almost to the door but stopped. Their daughters were safe and sleeping off their injuries. As much as she wanted to leave him to his peaceful rest, a small fraction of her old self screamed at her to stay. For some unknown reason Helen walked around the other side of the bed and slide next to him. She arranged herself on her side so she could watch over him while he slept as he had done for their children. Soon enough Helen followed John into sleep. Three days of constant work, worry, and little nourishment had finally taken its toll on the head of Sanctuary. Sleep had a way of claiming its victims one way or the other.

Pain was everywhere in her body, her head, her heart, and everywhere else. But more than that she felt drugged, woozy, all around tired. She tried to sit up, her body feeling more like a lead wait than an actual living organism. If only her mind would work. The last thing she remembered was the feel of blood and then the rush of unconsciousness, only to wake up in the infirmary. Ashley tried to sit up again, and found she could raise her head. Next to her Chase lay on an identical gurney, but unconscious. She had tubes going into her arm. Craning her neck Ashley looked at her own arm and found an IV there. She still felt sleepy. There had to be a sedative in with whatever was being fed into her veins. Not willing to fight any longer Ashley gave in and went back down in to the darkness of sleep.

A few more minutes past before Chase fought her way free of sleep. Her whole body ached and fatigue fought for control, but her beast was stronger and forced Chase to sit up. Chase's chest felt heavy and her abdomen still hurt. She moved the tan gown up and saw five pink scars from Ashley's claws. Pretty soon those would be gone and smooth flesh would be the result. Taking a steady breath Chase tested her fully re-grown lungs. It hurt to breathe, but it was nice to be alive. She tried to move to the edge of the bed but found she was caught on something. The IV tube was caught on the bed rail. Steeling herself she pulled the needle free of her hand and rose from the gurney. Chase could only make it so far as Ashley's bed before her body gave way to sleep again. She curled herself into her sister's side and let the familiar presence lull her and aide in healing, not just for her but for Ashley as well.

John woke to a dark room bathed in moon light. When he had come here it had been early afternoon. The digital clock beside the bed read 03:30am. He had been asleep for twelve hours. The last thing John remembered was lying back on the bed and then sleep claimed him, now he felt warmth at his side. In the faint moonlight he could make out Helen's profile as she slept sounds next to him. His body relaxed and demanded that he return to the sweet embrace of sleep. Helen's arm reached out and draped over his waist. There was no leaving now. She had needed the uninterrupted rest as much as he had. Reclining John once again settled down and allowed sleep to drag his mind into a dreamless abyss.

It was late when Henry had finally squared away the EM shield. Magnus had told him to reset it told the steady modulation it had been before the Cabal and the attack. Midnight was creeping closer and closer before he was finally finished. He had stopped by the infirmary to check on Chase and Ashley and found the sisters sharing the same hospital bed. Both of them were on their sides facing the other as they slept. Ashley was under the covers and Chase shivered slightly. Grabbing her blanket from the other bed Henry draped it over her and placed a light kiss to her temple. His family was complete now. Ashley was home Chase was home and the Big Guy was back. Even the presence of Kate Freelander didn't dampen his mood; she was only an extra set of hands until she got bored and left.

He hadn't intended to stay long, he was tired, but Henry took one of the vacant chairs and took up watching the sisters as they slept. Moonlight poured in and surrounded them in a silvery haze. They were so alike and yet so different. Chase took after Druitt and Ashley was more her mother. This was his family, and now it was whole. Henry stayed there all night.

The morning sun streamed in as Helen woke to the new day. She had the feeling of warmth, security, and contentment, but she was in an unfamiliar bed. Then memories flooded her mind. She and John had been in the infirmary, he had nearly fallen asleep, she had suggested that he get some rest, and then he taken them to his room. In hind sight Helen concluded she shouldn't have stayed. But the feeling of him sleeping behind her was more comforting that it would have been had she slept in her own room alone. Turning Helen availed herself of the warmth pouring from John as she settled back into sleep. Even she needed to have a day where she did nothing but sleep. Helen had to recharge herself after the emotional beat down of the past weeks. And this was the one time she could indulge in having John close to her. His arms tightened when she snuggled closer and Helen sighed. Sleep claimed her again before she knew it.

Will walked into the infirmary late that afternoon to the sound of cheerful bickering. Ashley and Chase were both awake and Henry was sitting with them just laughing while they argued about who go which color Jell-O. He couldn't help but wear a smile as well, Ashley was back and that was cause for celebration.

"Will, hey."

"Hey Ashley. How do you feel?" Will took the chair next to Henry.

"Oh, you know good considering for six months I was this super abnormal bent on taking down my mothers life's work."

"Well that's…"

"Ashley, come on I want the blue Jell-O." Chase interrupted Will as she held out her hand for the little bowl.

"I though you liked red?"

"No, you like red, I want the blue."

Ashley sighed and passed over the bowl of Blue Jell-O by way of Henry. When both were satisfied they chowed down on the semi solid snack. Henry nudged Will and both men smiled at the sisters. They could argue over Jell-O after both being unconscious for three days.

"You guys haven't seen Magnus by chance have you?"

"Sorry Will, we only woke up this morning." Ashley said and slipped a red cube into her mouth.

"Did you check the office?" Chase asked around a mouth full of blue jell-o.

"Yeah, first place I looked." Will replied and smiled with they shrugged.

"Magnus will show up in time man. She probably went to lie down." Henry said and snagged a blue cube from Chase before leaving to tend to feeding some of the Residents and making modifications to various other systems.

Later that afternoon Helen had woken in John's bed with no John behind her. That had suited her just fine; it would save her from that awkwardness and questions. She made her way to her room where she showered and changed. Then she had walked into the infirmary to see John sitting on the edge of Chase's bed while she and Ashley were bantering. All conversation stopped as soon as Ashley's eyes settled on Helen. Ashley tired to get out of bed, but her body was still weak from the three days of sedation. Helen moved over to the bed, sat down, and pulled Ashley into her arms. The fear and pain over what the Cabal had done fled Helen, all that mattered was Ashley. Ashley was home and safe and she was whole once again. Helen pulled back and looked to make sure. Ashley's eyes were blue and beautiful and they shined.

"Mom, are you ok?"

"I'm fine now darling," She embraced Ashley again, "You're home where you belong."

"Yeah, all thanks to my sister who stabbed me with a needle," Ashley shot Chase a playful glare, but he owed her sister more.

"You shredded my lungs and punctured my heart; I thought it a fair trade." Chase shrugged and leaned her head back, "Mom when can we get out of here, I'm going crazy."

"You're both going to stay in here one more day, at the latest." Before Ashley and Chase could protest Helen added, "We just want to make sure that you are well."

"But Chase and I feel fine. Mom come one, can't we at least stay in our rooms?"

"Sweetheart we want you here where we can monitor you. Please for me, one more day." Helen smiled at Ashley and caressed her cheek.

"How about a half a day?" Chase asked. Hopeful that she and Ashley could bargain their way out of the infirmary, all the tan walls were making her crazy.

"Chase," John stressed her name.

"Come on, Dad, seriously. This place," Chase motioned to the tan walls around her, "Making me go crazy."

"One day, is that so much to ask?" John asked he was trying not to smile. He knew how much his younger daughter hated to be cooped up for too long.

"Is the well being of your daughter's sanity so much to ask?" Chase sniped and dropped back into the pillows crossing her arms over her chest.

"Chase, you and Ashley are staying put." Helen stressed each name.

"Look at it this way, Chase, it's a nice bit of rest. Cause soon as we get out of here, its back to Ghoul hunting." Ashley chimed in and Chase looked at her, playfully glaring. Truth was Chase couldn't wait to get a chance to get back to capturing abnormals. When she had been with James, he had encouraged stealth, being a thief. She just want to exercise her skills again.

Helen shook her head and come to stand next to Chase. John got up and moved out of the way so Helen could sit down. She leaned foreword and pulled Chase into a hug. It was caution more than anything that had her keeping both of them where she could keep and eye on them. For if they were loose in the Sanctuary there was no telling what they would do. Helen had the tiniest fear that if they put their heads together, Chase and Ashley would go hunting for Dana Whitcomb.

She already knew John was planning the same thing, when or if they had another argument. One was bound to occur, she knew it. When they had been lovers, things had been passionate made more so by their heated arguments. Helen was finding that the more John was around the more she wanted him to stay. And if he left it would be only a matter of time before Chase followed him. If keeping John at the Sanctuary meant Chase would stay, then she would learn to be ear him again. Things hadn't been so bad between them when they were alone searching out answers as to Ashley's whereabouts. Maybe now both their daughters were home things would improve. Only a fool's chance that would happen. Helen released Chase, stood up and headed for the door. Before she left she turned and said, "One more day the both of you. And I mean it." She smiled when she had heard both of them groan.

John watched Helen leave. He turned back to Chase and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Pulling back he smiled a small smile at Chase and she gave him a confused look, "Dad, you're being weird, even for you."

"Chase, you died, in my arms, can't I be a little weird?"

"You can get me out of here." Chase tried, but she knew her father would do no such thing.

"You're staying put."

"Dad," Chase put a whine into her voice for good measure, but it was just for show. John wrapped his arms around her and held her until he was certain she was alive.

Ashley watched the by play between her sister and the man that was her father. Chase seemed more at ease over the fact that he had given DNA and created them. Ashley was slowly becoming used t the fact that John Druitt, Jack the Ripper, was her father. Just seeing them so close had made the old ache for the father she had wanted as a young girl creep back into her heart. Henry had told Ashley and Chase about how their father had searched the world over with their mother for clues on Ashley. Now he was seeing what he was actually like, his tenderness towards Chase, and the fear that radiated off him. She watched as he stood and prepared to leave them so they could rest.

"Dad?"

John turned and looked at Ashley, she had called him dad. Never would he have though she would do that. Not after what he had done the first time. He locked eyes with him and she smiled at him. John went over to the side of her bed and lightly ran his fingers over her forehead. When Ashley didn't flinch or move away he placed a small kiss to her temple. Leaving things like they were for now, John left and went in search of Helen, they had to talk.


	7. Chapter 7

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

A/N: I would suggest listening to the song So Cold by Breaking Benjamin while you read the scenes following Helen and John being in the Library.

Helen had gone back to her office with the intent to work, but her mind would not engage on what was in front of her. All she could think about was John, and how he had looked sitting next to Chase and talking with Ashley. Just seeing that made her want more from him, more of his taste, more of his touch, but more than anything she wanted to give him the chance to be a father to Ashley and Chase. She had always known that she would bear John's children, but she had wanted him to be around. Circumstances had dictated other wise unfortunately. But he was here with them, with her, now and making the effort to be the man he had been, all those years ago when their love had been passionate.

Her body was in tune with his; she sensed when he walked into her office, her domain where she ruled supreme. This was her world, her turf and John was stalking towards her like a hungry cat, every step measured and calculated as if he feared she would run from him and he would have to pursue. Maybe she would, and maybe she wouldn't. It was likely Helen would let John catch her. Helen Magnus had been running for long enough from what her heart wanted. Her mind dictated that she keep John away, freeze him out of her life, but her heart, oh her heart called to him. There was more to him than the cold blooded killer he had been. Tesla had shocked him to his senses and no amount of telling him that he would murder again would stop Helen from burning for John, from wanting what passion he could incite in her body. It was the power he had over her, over her body, and she wanted him to wield it again. No one knew her like John Druitt, and no one would.

One more step and John was with in her personal space, his scent enveloping her, sweeping her up in memories of shared passions, heated kisses, and burning nights of lust and love comingled in the joining of bodies and hearts. If John would but angle his head Helen would have fused her mouth with his and tasted the forbidden fruit. She wanted him, pure and simple. Her heart was filled with him; her mind thought of nothing but him now, and her body, her body craved his touch. She wanted him to take her, she wanted him to make her his once again. When they had been at Oxford Helen had loved John with her entire being, her entire heart, and she would have given him her soul if he had only to ask. But now, here with him looking at her, a glint of devilish light in his eyes, she just wanted him with lust.

John felt heat leap between them; it started when he had entered the room and only rose as he took more steps towards her. That kiss he had given her in the lab had been everything they had used to be, passionate, fierce, and heated. He wanted that, one more time, just once more. Then she had stayed with him just yesterday while their children were still sedated. Her nestled into his side catapulted him into the past, the first time they had made love, and the last time. Helen had been so passionate in those days, at the height of his abilities, and then darkness came into their life. Now, he had to make up for it. Seeing her, looking into her eyes, the heat rose more and more. He leaned in closer her, dragging in her scent, and feeling her bangs tease his cheek. She moaned, or did he? In this moment they wanted the same thing, passion, flesh, and a kiss. John angled his head intent on taking her lips. But it was Helen who took his mouth, commanded him to submit to him, which he gladly did. John let her take charge; let her dictate the terms of this kiss.

Helen had been caught up in the moment, his body close to hers, his heat seeping into her. The sensory overload was enough to make her mind melt; it allowed her heart to take over. She hadn't forgotten the last kiss they had shared, how she had marveled at how well their lips fit. They melded, bonded, and danced so easily. Helen hadn't realized how much she had missed his taste until the lab, until he had restarted the fire burning in her. If she was going to burn then so would he. She brought her hands up and fisted them in the front of his shirt, dragging his body closer to hers, his mouth was not enough, she needed more, wanted more or him. His arms came around her waist and held her, secured her to him. Their lips danced, tongues dueled, and their blood flowed faster lust mounting for the other.

**HALLWAY:**

Nikola had the intention of asking Helen to join him for a night out on the town, seeing how Ashley and Chase were on the mend and Druitt refusing to leave them. Maybe he could coax her out with a night of fun and shared memories, hopefully. He had started and stopped a dozen times, every time telling himself that there was no shame in asking. If she said no then she said no, but there was the off chance that she would say yes. One more step, and another, and then he was in her doorway, frozen to the spot. Helen was in the arms of Druitt, locked in a passionate kiss. He was at Oxford all over again. Back then they had been in every dark corner they could fine just to feast from each others mouth. But now in broad day light, and in a new century, Nikola felt as if it were the 1880's again. Helen would always be drawn to the psycho Druitt, like a moth to a flame, repeatedly getting burned and yet going back for more. And he would linger in the background, watching them, wanting to trade places with Druitt.

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

Helen had to stop, she had to take a step back and tell John to leave, but he felt so good against her. His lips sliding over hers and his arms around her waist, she didn't want to stop. But she had to; there was work to be done, important work. And with that thought cold water poured through her quelling the lust beginning to build. Helen leaned back and cupped John's face to make him stop. She had to take a moment to breathe, to gain her sense's back, and to gain her self back. John always had a way of corrupting her, secretly she loved it, but now she needed to be Helen Magnus the leader of the Sanctuary, not Helen Magnus desperately wanting a man who was bad for her.

"John… stop... please" Helen gasped out, but leaned back in and kissed along the right side of his jaw line, trailing her lips up and kissing the scar she had left him with.

"Then… perhaps…." John couldn't finish his sentence, hips lips had taken Helen's again. But he needed to stop; he had said he would take her, not like this. It would be a time and place of his choosing, and set to his own mood. Gathering all his will John stepped free of her, of her body, and the welcoming heat that called to him. He noted that Helen had to brace her hands against the edge of her desk as he reached back and felt for the arm of the couch. She could sap his strength and will power, and all with a kiss.

"That… was different."

"Positively, I would go so far as to say top ten." John turned a devils smile on Helen.

"Top ten, definitely." Helen breathed out and gave him a wicked smile all her own. It was a way for her to draw attention away from the fact that he knees were going weak and she just wanted to melt to the floor.

"I came here with different intent, but I have completely forgotten what I was to tell you." John said, his breathing had returned to normal. He only wished that his heart would stop racing and that his flesh would stop aching for Helen's touch.

"It will come to you." Helen joked and found that she could stand under her own will power.

John stood as well came closer to her and leaned in close whispering, "Keep your night clear, I want to take you somewhere."

Before she could answer John was gone. Helen felt her heart give a little skip, a flutter, and her stomach twisted in knots. What could John be planning? Did she want to go? Would he try to seduce her? The only way for Helen to obtain these answers would be for her to clear her night and see what John had in store for her. And that was danger in and of itself. Helen walked back around to sit at her desk and tried to focus on her work, but Druitt kept creeping in, his lips, his chest pressed to hers, and his arms around her waist, all of it flooded her mind and she couldn't work. She sat there and merely stared out the window at New City unable to work.

**INFIRMARY:**

Ashley and Chase had promised they would stay put in the Infirmary, but they never agreed to the one more day. Together they stood up and wrapped blankets around them so they could each head to their rooms to change into real clothes. Both of them felt fine, nothing out of whack in their systems, no pain, no fevers. So by their logic they were as fit as fiddles.

"What say we meet up in at the shooting range? I feel the need for some practice." Ashley asked before going down the hall that led to her room.

"Sure, meet you there in ten minutes." Chase responded and headed to her room. She kept her hearing trained on Ashley's foot steps just to make sure that her sister was indeed on the mend. When a door opened and closed Chase disappeared into her own to change, and she was stunned. Her room was different. More of her stuff had been brought here and put away and her room smelled like Henry. She would have to pay him back. Going over to her duffle she pulled out a special pair of leather pants that she had gotten in China. The black leather melded to her skin, custom fit, showing off her long lean legs. Down the front of the right sheath was a special monogrammed character from the Chinese Zodiac; the year of the Tiger blazed in a lavender color. As an impulse she had gotten the same pair for Ashley only with the year of the Dragon on hers, even though that wasn't Ashley's Zodiac sign. Chase reached for a black bra and purple tank top. Finally she felt like herself again. After she pulled on her boots she met up with Ashley to go to the shoot range.

Ashley knew that her sister was listening to every step she took; she was doing the same thing with Chase. The last thing Ashley remembered before passing out was the feel of blood on her hands, her sister's blood on her hands. She had taken Chase's life, but due to the vampiric healing Chase hadn't remained dead. Disappearing into her room Ashley dropped the blanket and went to her closet to pull out the pair of pants that Chase had gotten her from China. The dark blue character for Dragon blazed down the left pants leg as she pulled them up her legs and tied the cord to secure them to her hips. She pulled out a black bra and matching blue tank top to go with the color of the monogram on her pants. Slipping into her boots Ashley was ready to head to the range. Ashley was home where she belonged with her family. Chase was home and her dad, well; time would tell where Ashley wanted him to stand.

**THE GARDEN:**

John had escaped outside, he had to get his head clear of Helen, but there was no getting clear of her, she was his breath, his heart beat and the very will he needed to live. She was his world. Tonight he would take her away, get her to relax and not think about work. She needed it and he needed to be alone with her somewhere that didn't remind them of the past. Now, all John had to do what figure out where he could take her that was not of significance to both of them. He sat down on the bench, letting the late afternoon sun wash over him, as he thought of all the places he had been, and of all the places he and Helen had planned to go. _An Oasis._ A small voice whispered through his mind. John had gone to one after he had refused Tesla. He hadn't intended to go to the desert, he just needed to get away, and that was where his mind took him. If he remembered correctly the view of the night sky was breath taking and the sunrise was magnificent.

John rose to head back to his room as he made a mental inventory of the things he would need so he would be ready for what he was going to give to Helen. She needed a night of nothing but pure pleasure, whether it was the view of the scenery or taking from his body. There was the small chance that Helen and John would rekindle their passion, a small chance but a chance none the less, and if John could he would to everything he could to ensure Helen ended up in his arms before the sun rose. Gathering what he would need would take most of the day, so he had to get started. It wouldn't cause him much distress to leave his daughters, he was content knowing that they were safe and on the mend.

**SHOOTING RANGE:**

Ashley had felt like her old self holding the gun her mother had given her. Just feeling the kick back as the bullets were fired was a homecoming all its own. She truly was home and now that she had her favorite gun the world was right. Ashley and chase had been making bets since they had gotten down there. They ranged from betting the other to land a pullet in the ten ring to making a perfect head shot. And each tie the other had completed the bet. Ashley thought that it was due to her super abnormal powers still lurking in her DNA. She could feel those abilities lingering on the edge of her mind, the urge to reach out and tap into them was tempting. Those powers would come in handy when she got back to hunting ghouls. And at lest she wouldn't be alone, chase would be there with her own set of powers, most of which matched Ashley's.

"Ok, how about a combo bet. You get three shots; they have to go in the ten ring, the heart, and the head." Chase bet Ashley. She loved watching Ashley shoot. Her sister did so with confidence. Chase had been a little squeamish around guns for years, she had hated them and they hadn't done much to improve her school of thought when she had been shot. But if they were going to go after the Cabal she would need to get over her own distaste and practice. Ashley leveled off her shots and three blasts later the holes were neat and in the exact locations Chase had indicated.

"Beat that. Now, you have two shouts. One to the head, and then the other shot to the heart." Ashley specified, but before Chase could fire the door to the shooting range opened and their mother walked in wearing a strange look. It wasn't exactly a look of anger, but more disappointment that Chase and Ashley were up and moving around she had asked them, told them to stay in the infirmary. Chase set her gun down and took out the ear plugs, for some reason she got the feeling there was a lecture coming, and she at least wanted to give the appearance of listening.

"I thought I told you two to stay in the infirmary?"

"Aw, come on mom, we're just shooting. It's not like we are going to leave Sanctuary." Ashley said as she reloaded her gun. She, like her sister didn't want to be cooped up in that room one second longer. Ashley wanted to be doing something and she felt fine.

"Ashley, you and Chase went through a massive trauma. The human body does not heal in three days."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing we aren't human then huh." Ashley shot back and let loose another clip into the target.

"Chase, I at least want you back in the infirmary, so we can monitor…"

"Mom, I'm fine too. Completely healed." To prove her point Chase lifted up her tank top, there weren't even scars left from Ashley's claws. It was all pale smooth flesh. Helen walked over to Chase and touched her upper abdomen, testing for pain.

"When you're done, the both of you, to your rooms and rest, you will need all of it for what is coming our way next." Helen spoke, but she left Chase and Ashley to let off some steam. It did her heart good to see them out of bed, but it was her maternal instincts that had her erring on the side of caution. She would have preferred them back in the infirmary, but her daughters were a force unto themselves. So Helen let them be up and around, there was nothing more she could say. At least Chase and Ashley knew there limits.

**LATER THAT EVENING:**

John had comeback to the Sanctuary with everything set, but there was one more piece he needed and he would have to go to Chase for that. His daughter was a music junkie and she was bound to have something that he could use. It had been along time since he put much thought into romance and seduction, yet he found it easy to fall back into the rhythm, especially where Helen was concerned.

John made his way to the infirmary, but neither Ashley nor Chase was there. Instinctively he headed to Chase's bedroom and found her hunched over her computer with headphones in her ears; she was swaying lightly to the music as she typed. As John got closer he could see that she was posting on a forum site, what appeared to be GateWorld. He hovered for a moment and read her screen name: RippersGirl. John shook his head and pulled her headphones out of her ears. Chase jumped in her chair and turned to look at him.

"Hey, dad, whatcha doin?" She asked as she clicked to another window.

"Shouldn't you be in the infirmary?"

"Mom decided to let us stay in our rooms." Chase looked away.

John shook his head, his daughter had her own way of doing things, and he crouched down beside Chase's chair asking, "I require some music, and I know for a fact you have…"

"Tons?"

"Exactly."

Chase glanced back at her iTunes library and scrolled through her play list. There was nothing there that she thought her dad would be interested in listening to. She went through it two times and nothing popped. While she was looking she had forgotten to pause the song So Cold by Breaking Benjamin.

John heard the dark, somewhat sad, melody pour out of the headphones that rested on Chase desk. He couldn't make out the word but the melody drew him in, wrapped around his mind, "What is the song you are listening to?"

"So Cold by Breaking Benjamin, why?"

"Do you have a melody version, no words?"

"Sure, somewhere," Chase answered and she didn't need to ask why. She had a feeling what he was going to be using it for, and that thought made her shudder. Chase had scented the pain radiating off her father fro weeks, but when she had seen them in the Lab and smelled love, her heart had fluttered fro them. Maybe after all this time, they were on the mend and things with their family would improve. Maybe, just maybe, her father would stick around. The CD with the non lyric version was copied; Chase handed it over to her father and watched he walked out of her room. She didn't give a second thought to what he had planned; she merely went back to blogging about Stargate SG-1.

**LIBRARY:**

Helen had given up trying to work, the strength and power of John's kiss still lingered on her lips, and the memory refused to abate. Her heart told her to go to him, to let him have her, induce the passion she knew he was capable of triggering in her body. Helen thought that if she could get her mind to focus on something other than John, then in a few hours she might be able to get back to work. But as of yet, she had read the same paragraph for the tenth time. Closing the book she set it aside on the table and stared off down the numerous isles. There were so many things that needed her attention and yet John filled her mind and haunted her dreams, but in those dreams the monster he had turned into crept in casting her into darkness.

"Helen?"

She jumped slightly at John's voice, his light tone, "John, you startled me."

"Forgive, I didn't mean to," He held out his hand to her, waiting, seeing if she would take it. John watched as Helen debated, the question flew across her face and there was indecision in her eyes. He had to let her choose, everything that was to happen had to be because Helen wanted it and not because he lured her, taunted her, seduced her into something that she would later regret.

Helen waited, she wanted to place her hand in his, but would she regret it later. A small foresight slid into her mind. Helen felt that John would seduce her, she knew it, felt it, and wanted it. She wanted him with her entire being, and she was being consumed in the way that she didn't want. Rising from her chair, Helen took that leap of faith and took John's hand. She survived the inferno of his love once, she could do it again.

John released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. She took his hand. For a brief moment John couldn't believe it, it was too real and her hand was so soft in his. He noted that the instant her hand touched his, the fire they had felt earlier in her office ignited again. Now it was burning, soon they would be caught up by passion. John pulled her close and using his free hand he cupped the back of her neck to teleport them out of the Sanctuary and to his Oasis.

Helen opened her eyes and surveyed where John had taken them, she was in the desert at night and in an Oasis. Looking up into the sky she could see the stars clearly winking in the heavens. Then there was the moon, it was so close to the Earth, so full and it cast the Oasis in a silvery light. A gust of wind kicked up and with it a cold breeze. Helen shivered and there were John's arms around her, heating her, but only for a moment. He left her side and as she turned around to watch him John lit a bonfire, and in a blink of an eye he was gone, lighting another and then another until they were ringed in warm golden light. She could feel the heat steadily growing from the fire, but it was John's warmth she wanted, it was his body that she craved.

John watched Helen watching him as he reclined against the base of a palm tree. He stretched out his right leg, bent his left leg and held out his arms for her to come into them. Helen gave him a light smile, and with her back to him she sank down into his arms and instantly felt warmer. She leaned her temple against his jaw and stared out at the open expanse of desert.

It was as if Helen was seeing it in a new way from John's arms. The golden sand looked like an ocean of silver from the moon and reflected the warm glow of the fires that surrounded them. The scent of Jasmine and Roses floated on the air and a dark, sad, melody played. The heat of the fire surrounded them and cocooned them in their private world.

John wrapped his arms tighter around her and felt as the tension flood out of her. She was starting to relax, letting herself go and just feeling. For a moment he held her close, and then he moved his hands up to her shoulders and began a gentle rubbing motion tackling the knots of stress he knew she carried. Helen had had so much stress in the last few months that she needed the massage, and it was a good warming up point for what was to come.

Helen was so lost in his touch that she didn't realize a moan escaped from her lips until seconds after the sound lingered around them. John froze his movements and Helen stiffened her body. Had she just moaned? How could she? Yes she was enjoying herself, but… That line of thought trailed off. She was enjoying herself and subconsciously Helen had meant for John to know it. She sucked in a breath and whispered, "Don't stop."

"As the lady wishes," John replied in a low grumbling tone close to Helen's ear before he resumed his ministrations. He could feel the miniscule shivers that broke out over her body, and it had nothing to do with the cold. Dropping his hands down to her elbows John set to work raising her body to new heights as he trailed his lips over her neck. He nibbled along her jaw until Helen turned and welcomed another kiss from him. She could steal his breath, sap his strength, and John would come back for more, needed more of her.

Helen had managed to shift so her chest was pressing into his, her heart beat synching with his and allowing the beat of the song to wash over them, each note pulsed along their skin. She coiled her arms around his neck as his arms molded around her waist. He was close to her, so close, but not close enough. Their clothes were a hindrance and they needed to be gone. Helen craved flesh on flesh. She wanted him on top of her driving her to new heights making her scream for more. Her lips feasted at his, taking the air from his lungs, and still she demanded more of him. Leaning back Helen took them to the rapidly heating sand so she could feel his weight on her. She cradled him between her legs and was taken back to a time when he was the center of her world.

John had to get her to slow down, not that he wanted her slow. He pulled back and moved onto his haunches. John rose and offered her his hand once again, there was somewhere else he wanted to make love to her and it would be just in the right place for the sun to come up. There remained a little more than three hours before the sun would grace the skies and he needed that time, every second of it. He opted to walk, to give him time to gain his mind, something he would need for the seduction he had planned. Helen's hand tightened on his when they reached the other side of the Oasis. Jasmine and rose incense burned, while the dark melody started again. John motioned to the blankets and scattered pillows and saw Helen knew what he wanted. She settled on her back and draped her hands above her head. This was her choice.

Helen felt her heart leap into her throat; John was looking at her, raking her body with a hungry gaze. Her breathing deepened as he fit his body to her side. John set about slowly unbuttoning her shirt. But John didn't stay at her side; he shifted down so for every button he released he would place a single kiss to her exposed flesh. She could feel her stomach muscles quivering at the warm contact of his lips, at his slow measured movements. One more button, one more kiss, and he was closer to her heart at that moment than he had ever been. A few more buttons and John was placing a lingering kiss between her breasts and Helen sucked in a sharp breath. Never had she been this tormented.

John planned to slowly devour her, taking his time to relearn her body, but truly his own had not forgotten her touch, and he never would. Moving slowly he placed another lingering over her heart, the heart that had loved him, the heart he had destroyed, and the heart that would someday be his again. John was caught up in her touch; he nearly missed her hands feather up and proceeded to remove his shirt. Smiling he took her hands and entwined his fingers with his taking her mouth again. His blood thundered in his ears, drove him to take her, but the man in him said be slow and gentle. John pulled away and together he and Helen sat. He slowly slipped her shirt off her arms as he gave her leave to remove his shirt. Helen mirrored his actions, only she leaned foreword and kissed the slowly fading electro-shock scars Tesla gifted him with. He shuddered at the contact; her lips were hot and gentle.

Helen had known the damaged Tesla had inflicted, but to see the fading arks for herself compelled her to kiss the nonexistent hurt away. John traced his hands up her side, over her shoulders, and threaded his long, slim fingers through her hair. The wind picked up swirling more of the incense around them adding to the drugged feel that already floated through Helen's mind. John's lips traveled her temple, placing light, sensuous kisses that ended once again over her heart. Helen lay back down and watched as John made up his mind as what to do next.

John stared at her, the light from the fire and moon warring with each other as which would light her best. Half of her body was bathed in the gentle silver of the moonlight and her other half was bathed in the warm glow of the fire. Helen looked made of fire and ice, but he knew when he fell into her arms she would be warm and alive and wanting him. He leaned over her again, trailing his lips lightly over her flesh, listening to her gasp. John made sure that his lips barely touched her, but there was enough contact to stoke the pyre fueling her blood. His fingers danced along her side and up to the front enclosure of her bra and released it. He slowly moved aside one cup with deliberate kisses, then he repeated the action with the other until Helen was bare from the waist up.

Helen arched her back, slowly rising into a sitting position; she needed more of John, more of kiss. Running her hands up his bare chest Helen pushed the fabric of his shirt off his shoulders, down his arms. She wanted his flesh on hers. His hands rested on her waist as his fingers slipped under the waist band caressing her flesh. She gasped, pulled him closer and tapered her hands to rest at his waist in turn. Every move he made she would mirror. Their breathing mingled a moment before her lips took him again as they lowered to the blankets again.

John gently lowered his weight over her, on top of her, and felt that head spark again. The feel of her under him was like coming home, Helen was his home and some how he hoped she would allow him to stay, stay with her. She fit her leg high up over his thigh and changed their positions so Helen was on top, the dominant position. Her center burned over him causing him to harden further in anticipation of joining with her, being one with her again. Helen pulled back, rose over him and urged him to sit up as she straddled his waist so she could kiss him at a down angle with her hair falling over them. He set his hands to work on the button of her pants and the zippers, but in truth his fingers shook with need and nerves.

Helen sighed into his mouth, she could feel his nerves, and they were the same as hers. She had not had him in more than a century, but her body remembered, wanted, needed, and craved what he could give her. Rotating her hips she delighted in the sensual growl that emanated from his throat before he nipped her bottom lip. She smiled and feathered her hands down to tackle the belt, button and zipper of his pants. Helen made each move slow, deliberate, as she unbuckled the belt and released the button of his pants. Soon they were going to have to move to shed the rest of their clothing but now, right now she was content to feel, kiss, and torment him with her hands roaming his flesh.

Time stood still as Helen and John removed the last of their clothing. The breeze kicked up, a gentle swaying through the palm leaves and swirled the heat of the multiple fires that were burning around them. Helen shivered but not from the air, from the anticipation that was mounting in her. John took her hand and placed it over his heart, there she felt the thundering beat and knew it was the same with her own heart. She stepped closer to him, taking him in her arms, letting his skin mold to hers, warming her.

John ran his hands up and down her back; passion's fire had a firm grip on his mind, fired his blood, and made him want her all the more. She was his and he was hers just be the grand design. He could feel the heat pouring out from her center, eager for his swelling manhood, and he was eager to be welcomed once again within her velvety depths. He reluctantly moved a step back from her and once again took a sitting position. John held up his hand to Helen and whispered, "I'm so cold will you warm my lonely soul."

Helen took his hand and let him settle her on his lap. She could feel him at her heated entrance and she needed the completion. Her body was strung as tight as a violin string. It would take John very little effort to make her snap. Placing her hands on his shoulders she raised her body up and gave him room to enter her when she sank back down onto him. He placed his hand on her hip and Helen locked her eyes with John as slowly took him into her body. The friction exploded, sending fireworks through her blood, and made her shudder. Her body made room for him, once again feeling complete. Her breath caught in her lungs as she fully joined with him, this is what she had been missing, John. His body was made for hers; it fit like a puzzle piece. His arms once again wrapped around her waist as her arms coiled around his shoulders and she rested her temple against his. For a moment she wanted to just feel him inside her, take the time to be with him before she moved, or he did. As much as she desired the euphoria, she desired the feel of John more.

John held his body still, he was flooded with memories of what had burned between them in the past, it was nothing compared to the pleasure that flooded his system, the pleasure of Helen all around him. He slowly took air into his lungs, just that simple act jarred them and pleasure flooded them. Helen and John gasped as she started to move, slow at first. Her body glided over his like a gentle wave heating his body. John rocked back and forth in counter point to the rotation of Helens hips. It caused more friction and more explosions making the pressure build and build. He could feel the pyre glowing brighter and brighter low in his gut. Soon, so soon he would break and euphoria would wash through him dulling his mind to everything but Helen.

Helen could feel her release growing closer and closer. Every movement John made to counter her had her pleasure building to a fever pitch. That string she could feel getting tighter and tighter was about to snap. She wanted to hold off the moment of release for a little longer. Sweat broke out along her body, his as well, making their skin better able to glide along the other. Helen felt her mind beginning to go, lost to the pleasure of the union and the mystery of the desert. She unlocked her arms from his shoulders, framing his face with her hands; she locked her eyes with him as she changed her motions. Helen raised her body up, pulling away from him, and then slowly she sank back down enveloping him in her warmth again. Her heart rate sped up, her inner muscles tightening, Helen knew release, but she wouldn't give in, not until she made John lose his mind.

John felt his release mounting, his blood burned, and his mind raced. Helen's body was crashing over him like waves on a beach, she was his paradise. He could feel her inner muscles clamping around him, stroking him, taking him closer and closer to the edge, and soon he would spiral into pleasures sweet embrace. John braced one of his hands behind him. Palm to the ground, using leverage he surged up, meeting her with his own thrust, hard and powerful. One, two, three more had John clutching Helen to him as he was swept away, soon after he felt Helen join him. Her muscles clamped down on him kept him locked in her warm depths.

Helen felt the instant that tight string of pleasure snapped. John had driven himself up and into her, and then she came. Pleasure flooded her system and fireworks ignited low in her belly. She had enough energy to wrap her arms around his shoulders and lean her temple to his again. Before her lids closed Helen saw the slowly rising sun, kissing the heavens, and bathing the world in light, "John… it's a sunrise." Helen said between breaths. Her body felt so good, so loose, so in tune. She felt as if she could fall into sleep while still keeping John close.

"So… it is. The light… of a new day." John replied, just a breathy as Helen. He turned his head, kissed her shoulder and hugged her closer feeling the rapid rise and fall of her chest against his. Before darkness took him John had enough semblance of self to teleport them back to the Sanctuary, to Helen's room, the light of the silvery moon shining above new city. John pulled a blanket over their cooling bodies and succumbed to sleep with Helen nestled in his arms.

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

Helen was roused out of sleep by the scent of John surrounding her. Her last memory was of the rising sun in the desert, now the sun was rising again ad she was in her own room on the floor with John curled around her. Last night they had made love, but not they had used to. The way they had joined, the intensity of it had stolen her breath and dulled her senses. Resting on her forearms Helen looked down at John. He was still in the grips of sleep; peace had descended on his face as well as a knowing smile. At least his appearance in sleep had not changed. Even back then he had slept with a smile. Untangling herself from his arms Helen grabbed one of the many blankets she had scattered through out her room and wrapped it around her still pleasure ridden body. Slowly getting to her feet she tested for aches, for sore muscles, but none were apparent. A full recap of what they had done ran though her mind as she made it to the bathroom. Helen had to get some space between them, she had to think, and she had to breathe. But when she went to shut the door, she couldn't make that barrier between them. She had let him into her life again, let him into her body, and now she feared her heart had taken him in as well.

Helen shook her head and walked back over to the sleeping John. She could be content to watch him for a while, well before some new crisis hit the city and her Sanctuary. Stretching out her hand Helen lightly traced the shock scars she had so lovingly kissed last night. Tesla had done this to him, and it had made John more whole than he had been in years. She could see the John she had loved so passionately stare at her some times, and she had wanted to keep him that way. But what would happen when he tracked Dana? Would he kill her? Would he torture her? Those were some of the questions running though Helen's mind when she looked back to John only to see him staring at him.

"Stop thinking."

"I can't. You…" Helen trailed of and turned away from him. She brought her knees up to her chest and pillowed her head on her right knee. Johns arms came around her and he worst of her fears flew right out of her mind. And with his warmth at her back, Helen knew she had fallen back in love with him.


	8. Chapter 8

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will be a John/Helen story….later down the road.

Ashley and Chase had risen that morning expecting to find their mother already at work in her office. Their intent had been to have breakfast with her, but when they arrived she wasn't there. So, instead they went out to the garden patio and enjoyed a nice morning and that where their mother had found them half an hour later.

Helen Magnus walked through the garden doors and just watched Ashley and Chase consume the large breakfast before them. She marveled at how alike they were and yet so dissimilar. Ashley was still dressed in her navy blue sleep pants, white tank top and a light weight navy blue robe. Chase was dressed in royal purple sleep pants, black tank top, and had a silk robe on the color of lavender. Where Ashley reminded Helen of herself when she was younger, Chase was so much like John. Taking the last few steps Helen was greeted with warm smiles from both her daughters.

"Hey, mom, you want to join us?" Ashley slid out the chair between her and Chase with her foot as she brought a cup of tea to her lips.

"Please tell me that all this," Helen motioned to the food on the table, "food is not for just you two." On the table in front of them were plates of scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, ham, sausage, toast, and a couple pots of tea.

"Well, we're hungry," Chase muttered as she reached for a piece of buttered toast.

Helen chuckled and sat down, "At least pass me a cup of tea."

"All right," Ashley smiled and handed over the cup.

It warmed Helen's heart to see Ashley smiling again, to look into her daughters eyes and know that it was indeed Ashley who was staring right back. Just being with Ashley and Chase allowed her time to mull over what she was going to do about John. Last night, early this morning, Helen allowed John to make love to her. It hadn't merely been sex, not, if it had been she wouldn't feel so troubled. She not only took him into her body, but her heart had welcomed him again as well. Helen didn't want to be in love with John again. But it looked more and more that was what was happening.

"What ever happened to dressing for breakfast?" John asked as he strode around the table.

"I think it went with 1950's," Chase answered and looked down at her bed clothes. Technically she was dressed, just not in normal clothes. She hadn't wanted to admit that her body was still tired and in need of more rest.

"It was a rhetorical question." John sighed and kissed Chase's temple.

"And yet, I felt compelled to answer." Chase smiled at him and poured him a cup of tea.

"You always do." John replied, smiled, and sat down across from Helen. He locked his gaze with her. John could still feel her skin gliding against his; still feel her mouth fused with his. But as to where they go from there, he didn't know. They didn't talk, she had started but stopped. John only wrapped his arms around her and sat with her in silence.

"Yes, I do." Chase sighed and went back to munching on her toast. Helen couldn't help but smile at their little exchange. It was such a father daughter moment, more than she thought John capable of.

Chase looked from Ashley to her dad and then to her mom. Silence had descended and it felt strange. She had wanted to try and engage her family in a little light banter, but they all, including Chase, were lost in thought. Not standing one more minute of the silence Chase said, "If no one has any objection, I thought Ashley and I would hunt down the remaining Cabal Council and teleport them to a fiery death, preferably a volcano."

"Chase Eris Magnus you will do no such thing." Helen turned a heated gaze on her daughter.

"Now why did you go and have to use my middle name when I was joking?"

"Do not joke about killing people."

"Technically the Cabal aren't people. They are an evil organization bent on plunging the world into chaos. It would simply be restoring order." Ashley spoke up and leaned back in her chair when her mother turned the same angry gaze in her direction.

"The three of you are in agreement?" Helen asked, disbelief ringing in her voice.

"Do not drag me into this Helen; they cooked this up all by themselves." John warned.

"But you don't disagree?" Helen accused. She was looking for a reason to cast him out of her life again after he had just given her a night of exquisite pleasure. Helen was scared.

"I do not. I feel the Cabal should be dealt with, our way." John casually replied. His way meant death and Helen knew that. Helen still didn't know how he could talk about murder as if he was discussing the weather.

"Mom, we are willing to take the risk. If we hit them now, we can weaken them." Ashley reasoned her voice soft.

"I'm not willing to let you. You are my daughters, and I will not risk losing you." Helen rose from her seat and walked to the railing, "Law of the universe and cosmic irony. You take out one tyrant and even worse one rises up to take their place. Then you are no better than those you kill."

"Mom, Ashley and I will do what we have to. If that means painting our hands red with the blood of our enemy's we'll do it," Chase stood and took her place behind her mother, "I would kill for this family. I would kill to ensure our survival."

"So eager to kill?" Helen asked.

"I'm a Druitt, it's in my blood." Chase answered and steeled herself against the wave of shame that flooded her system. She was half her father, not the good half, but she was half of him, but for her to call herself a Druitt was not the way to go when making a point.

Helen rounded on Chase and saw the sincerity in her words. She knew her daughter would kill those who threatened them, threatened her family. It was part of her animal nature, her instinct to kill, to protect. Helen cast her gaze to Ashley; there she saw the same conviction only doubt lingered in her blue eyes. If Ashley had to she could, and would kill if it meant her family was at risk. _'What is born in the bone can not be undone in the flesh.'_ John had said that to her and now she understood why. He had seen what lengths Chase had gone to just to protect herself. And those lengths would be doubled, tripled if her family was at risk.

"What would you do?" Helen asked not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Take the fight to them." Chase spared her mother the actual details of what she would do to the Cabal if she should get her hands on them.

"And if I were to tell the both of you that it is too dangerous, would you listen?"

"Mom, we would listen," Ashley got up and walked over to stand on Chase's left, facing their mother, "And we would find another way, but there is no other way right now."

Helen lifted her hands and pulled her daughters close. If she told them to stay at the Sanctuary where it was safe they would listen, but the fight would come to them no matter how Helen feared for her children. She looked over at John who was still seated watching them. Soon they would have to talk about what happened between them in the desert and what it meant personally, but for now Helen held her daughters and thanked God that they were safe.

**LATER THAT AFTERNOON:**

John sat nestled against the wall looking out one of the many windows of Helen's beloved Sanctuary. '_Helen.'_ All he thought about was her; she clouded his mind and burned his soul. She had said she didn't want to be consumed by him again, now he feared that he was the one to be consumed. It would be no less than he deserved after everything he had put her through. If John was a better man he would leave her, leave and let her have a life, let her find someone whom she could love and not be concerned that they would turn back into a murdering monster. But John wasn't a better man. He wanted to keep Helen, wanted her all to himself and spend eternity making up for past wrong doings. Helen would never believe him, but that didn't mean he didn't have to try.

"You look lost in concentration."

John turned his head and saw the object of his musings. Helen had a slight smile on her face with her head tilted to the side. She was still a vision, whether standing in the hall or in the throes of the passion as she had been in the desert, "Yes, lost in a deep well."

Helen had lingered in doorway watching him for a good five minutes. He always had this way about him when he was thinking. It was like he was trying to solve some great trouble to the world or to his own personal piece of it. She suspected that he was thinking about what had transpired between them in the Oasis. Helen knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was in love with him, in truth she had never stopped but that love had been tainted by hate. And now, to see him like that, lost in thought, all of Helen's old feelings and old wants replaced the century of pain. For now she would keep her love for him in the back of her mind. It wasn't time for love and pretty words, not when the enemy was regrouping.

Helen sat down facing John, "I may have been harsh this morning at breakfast."

"Ah, you mean when you assumed that I had something to do with them wanting revenge?" John asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Yes," Helen lowered her head. Eating crow was not something she did often and she was not enjoying it now.

"How could I have planted the seed revenge when I had been with you all night?" John asked and tipped her head back so her eyes locked with his. When he saw her blush, John derived satisfaction from it. She was remembering the pleasure he had inflicted in her body and stirred in her mind. John knew how to work Helen the right way to make her burn and make her want him.

"I'm so used to hating you John…" Helen confessed.

"And I'm used to being hated, but I want my daughters to look at me with something close to affection." He wanted to have his family, he wanted Helen. More than anything he wanted to be a man again, not the monster she had feared for so long.

"Chase loves you, despite what you have done," Helen sat back against the opposite wall when all she wanted to do was lean into him, have him wrap his arms around her, and shut out the world. Right now they had a reprieve; the Cabal for the most part was quiet. Helen had checked with various contacts and they all said the same thing, the Cabal was regrouping. She just hoped that they weren't regrouping for another full scale attack. But it was also the threat of another attack that had Helen considering what Chase and Ashley had said.

"About what happened last night…"

"John…"

John sat up and placed his right index finger lightly over her lips, "I know you said you didn't want to be consumed, but now I am the one who will burn. It is no more than I deserve." John spoke with sincerity and just the slight edge of pain. He should do penance for the way he had hurt Helen and Ashley. John tried to make up for it by protecting Chase, but no amount of right would make his sins disappear.

"As much as would hope to deny it, there is no way to beak our tie to the other. Our fate was determined long ago John."

"What, our love and our hate will always be constant?"

"For now that is all we have," Helen sighed and stood up, not saying that they had to work for the bliss they once had. She took no more than three steps before stopping, "If you would like, and are willing, I can have your personal effects moved to more permanent quarters, here, at the Sanctuary." She didn't wait for a response. Helen had work to do and the one redeeming grace of John making love to her was that her mind was now clear.

**ASHLEY'S ROOM:**

After breakfast Ashley had come back to her room with Chase following her. Rather than provoke another argument with their mother they had decided to let things be as they were and just laze about the Sanctuary. Ashley knew she wasn't 100%, she could admit it if asked. But the truth was she wanted to spend time with Chase and just be sisters. So they were in Ashley's room watching movies, but not really concentrating on what was on screen. The movie that was on was Ginger Snaps, the story of two sisters who vowed to be together for ever. It was the same vow that Ashley and Chase had made to each other.

Ringing cut through the screams of the movie. Ashley narrowed the sound to coming from next to Chase. Her sister seemed oblivious to the noise as her gaze was firmly entranced on the TV screen. Ashley moved to reach for Chase's phone and noted the called ID: THE DEVIL.

"Uh, Chase, why would the Devil be calling you?"

Chase sat bolt upright and snatched the phone from her sisters hand. She answered the phone, but said nothing, only listening to the person on the other end of the line. After a few seconds she disconnected. Chase didn't spare her sister a glace, just grabbing her leather jacket and keys to her motorcycle.

Ashley wasn't about to let her sister out of her sight, "Chase, where are you going?"

"Sorry Ash, I can't tell you."

"Ace, you better…" But Chase was around the corner and she was gone.

**ABANDONED BUILDING:**

Chase had never expected for him to call her. He had once saved her life and then he had been gone. Chase had been grateful when he left, guilt ate at her and her own stubbornness to prove that she could go alone on a mission, but she had failed and he had saved her. James had asked how she managed to get away, but Chase couldn't tell him, couldn't bear to tell him that a stranger had saved her life. Now he had called her and she was rushing off to meet him in one of the old buildings. As a precaution Chase had taken Ashley's keys even though her sister could teleport. But with out the GPS on her bike tracking her sister would be a little difficult.

"You always had a certain glow about in the dark, your natural habitat." His voice whispered through the open room mere moments before he stepped into full view. Caesar had saved her when she had nearly been killed by mobsters in China.

"You have a lot of nerve Caesar…" Chase stared at him, He was 6'0, paled skinned, with golden sun kissed hair, gentle curls, and crystal clear eyes that would make any female swoon. All except Chase, who was firmly in love with Henry, and she didn't want a vampire. They were too arrogant.

"Oh, don't be such a child. I contacted you because I need a favor. Would you talk to your mother on my behalf?" He whispered in her ear.

"Talk to her yourself. That's all you wanted? The great seducer of women can't contact…"

"No you are being cruel. Your mother, sadly, is ignoring my attempts at a dialogue."

"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you." Chase suggested her tone sarcastic with the slight tinge of anger.

"Ooh, you definitely are her daughter." Caesar stared at Chase. When he had known her before she had the unmistakable edge of being untamed, just like her father, but she was animal to the core. He liked that about her, but to corrupt the daughter the way he had the father would be too much irony and it would warrant the mother to come after him.

"What would be worth her time?" Chase asked impatiently.

"Information."

"We can get our own information…"

"On the Cabal?"

Chase sighed and pulled out her cell phone, dialing her mother, but it went to voicemail. Using her own judgment Chase fisted her hand in Caesar's jacket and teleported them to the front gate of the Sanctuary. She keyed in the code and the gates swung open. Chase just hoped that she wasn't doing the wrong thing in letting the last surviving Vampire in the Sanctuary, despite the fact he claimed to have information that they would need in taking out the Cabal.

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

Helen had been hard at work finding new homes for the displaced residents. She had managed to get twenty or so moved and settled when Chase strode into her office with the last person, thing, she had ever wanted to see. Caesar was dressed in all black, his signature style. But what made her anger rise was the leer he tossed her way. "Helen, my dear, you don't write, you don't call. I'm beginning to think you don't like me anymore, and after I gave you my blood. Some would call that rude."

Caesar brushed past Chase to stand close to Helen. She had always tantalized his senses, but it wasn't her body that he wanted, he had wanted to pick her mind for all the knowledge. He was a vampire after all, knowledge was better.

"I've been busy…"

"Helen, if you do not keep Druitt on a leash I swear he will lose an essential body part and it…" Tesla strode in, he didn't notice who was there until most of the words were out of his mouth.

"Not now Nikola," Helen sighed. Her day had started out well and now it was turning into a circus.

"Ah, my mongrel son. You're looking well for being half vampire." Caesar crooned. Helen had told him long ago why she had wanted his blood, but never had he thought that it would make a vampire out of one of her little human friends, and Nikola Tesla was a vampire despite how he came to be one. If vampires still ruled he would be considered second rate, a mongrel, and he wouldn't be worth the time and air. But as it stood pure bloods were rare.

"A living vampire, truly this day is getting better and better." Tesla brightened up as he extended his hand. Never would he have thought to come across a pure blood. Nikola had searched every crevice and old world city he could find for traces of his ancestors, eventually leading him to Bhalasamm, but no Vampires.

Chase had managed to slip out of her mother's office and up the hall before getting caught by her father. He was rounding the same corner she was trying to go around. His look was very serious and hers very guilty.

"Chase, why do I get the feeling that you are about to get in trouble?" John asked and watched as Chase's face took on a more guilty appearance.

"Cause, I'm sneaking around a corner."

"What have you done?"

"Brought someone to see mom, and he…"

"Chase!" Helen's voice carried up the hall.

"And now I'm in trouble. You know you could do me a huge favor and pretend you never saw me." Chase turned her best smile on her father. He only smiled at her and placed his hands on her shoulders to turn her around.

"Nice try."

Helen waited for Chase to come through her office door, only she wasn't alone. John was with her and appeared to be pushing Chase over the thresh hold, but stopped when he saw the guest lounging on the sofa. A look passed over his face, a look of recognition and a look of fury.

"Oh, and now we have the Ripper. Helen, my dear, you must tell me what you see in him, other than the height and the accent." Caesar stood and took a deep breath. John had been a wonderful student, so willing so eager to explore the dark. But not all the darkness John had experienced had been his own. Caesar gave him ore than a little taste and started him down the path to becoming the Ripper.

"Why are you here?" John growled.

"Now, now children, do try to be nice. I came here to offer information and my help…"

"We don't want your kind of help." Helen warned as John moved over to her side. His warmth and presence made her calm slightly.

"Oh, now Helen, there was time you when you liked me. Course, that was probably before Druitt laid his claim." Caesar made a sweeping motion with his right hand. At one time he had entertained the idea of showing Helen all she could become. He had kept abreast of her whereabouts through the long years and he marveled that she never understood her power, what she could become, and what she had locked inside her mind. Hopefully for what he had planned she would find out.

"The last time I asked for your help, things went wrong, and I lost a great deal." Helen replied shifting slightly closer to John.

"I don't know about them, but I would love to learn all you have locked inside your brain." Tesla chipped him. There was so much about his own nature that he was still in the dark about. It was one of the major reasons he had gone to Bhalasamm.

"Then you I can teach, but now I am here to offer my service to the illustrious Helen and her magnificent Sanctuary network. Toppling the Cabal is in everyone's best interest."

"Why do you want to help us, after all you have blended into society for so long? Why do you care?" Chase asked.

"Oh, my dear tigress, so suspicious…" He shook his head and wagged his finger like he was talking to an errant child.

"With good reason." Chase growled allowing a little of her inner monster to seep into her voice.

"Am I the only one who likes having another Vampire around?" Tesla raised his right hand.

"YES!" Helen, John, and Chase spoke at once their voices echoing on the walls.

"Then I assume you don't want the location where the Cabal council is hiding?" Caesar took his seat back on the sofa stretching his right arm along the back and resting his left ankle on his right knee. He gave off the air of being relaxed.

**DOWN IN THE LAB:**

Helen had asked Caesar to leave, but he had ignored her, despite the information he said he had on the Cabal. She had to get rid of him, and after that she had fled to the safety of her lab. John had asked her about how she knew the only living Vampire, other than Tesla. But Helen wouldn't say. Caesar had been 'Friends' with her father, Gregory Magnus, back in the old days of London, and he was the reason she got a hold of pure vampire blood. The ancient vampire had managed to escape the cleansing, and ever since then he had learned how to blend in with the humans he had fed on.

Helen had allowed Caesar to feed on her in exchange for some of his blood. Her father had never known, but guessed how she had gotten the blood. One of Helen's regrets was the way she had let the vampire feed on her. As good as the feeding had been Helen wouldn't line up to be a meal again. She had felt too many things when his fangs had been at her neck, taking her blood, and shortening her life. More than anything Helen had seen John's face in her mind and realized that as benign as the feeding had been, it was still a betrayal. And it was a betrayal she had never confessed to John.

The one good thing about Caesar being here was that he kept Tesla occupied. More than anything the ancient loved to share knowledge, at a price. There was no telling what price he would exact from Tesla and Helen didn't want to know. Right now she was concerned about hiding from him. At this moment Helen wanted to be back in the Oasis, wrapped in John's arms and feeling the light of a new day wash over her skin while her body still hummed from being joined with the man who had made her love him.

"He is where you got the blood from?"

"John…" Helen turned and faced John's till angry gaze. Something had happened between him and Caesar that he wasn't telling her, just like she wasn't telling him about her dealing with the ancient.

"Isn't he Helen?"

"I made a deal with the devil, and I have regretted it every day that I have been alive," Helen looked away. She had never voiced that dark thought. Even though she had been injected with Caesar's blood two really good things came out of her being abnormal; Ashley and Chase. If she had not taken that serum her daughters would not be the women that they were today. Helen looked back to John and asked, "How do you know him?"

"When we were at Oxford, after the experiment, my abilities were under control despite the occasional shift when I was…" John trailed off. A few times when he and Helen had been getting more and more intimate he had teleported them to a hot spring. Back in those days as soon as he thought of a place, he would be there. The control of his abilities had been limited but not enough to drive him to kill eight women, "I can't blame him entirely for my, past, but he is the reason I listened to my darker nature."

"John, what are you saying?"

John turned his back on her. How could he tell her that the one moment of weakness had cost him her love, their children, and their life together? All of that from his bad call, "Caesar, as you call him, found me one night in the pub with Griffin and Watson. He had come up to me and said he knew about what we had done. He said that I should go with him if I wanted to learn more about myself."

Helen closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. When they had been at Oxford John had never given any indication that he had killed anyone. Other than the occasional teleport during their lovemaking John had never seemed out of the ordinary. She knew he carried darkness in his heart, so did she, everyone did, but knowing that Caesar was partly to blame for bringing it out in him made her hate the ancient even more. Helen had to take his mind off the past; she had to bring him back to the present.

"Can I tell you something?" Helen whispered pillowing her head on his shoulder.

"You're disappointed?" John suggested, it wouldn't be a stretch for him to say that.

"No, I miss your hair."

John stepped out of Helen's embrace and stared at her. She was being serious and John knew it. Her eyes held humor and the corners of her mouth were turned up in a light smile. He couldn't help but smile at her in return, "You're serious?"

"Dead. I miss the way the tips would run over my bare shoulders and how when you would kiss down my back your hair would trail on either side slightly tickling me." Helen had closed the distance between them with every word until she stood in his personal space.

John leaned in and placed his lips to hers. He loved her lips, they were so soft and warm, and John loved everything about Helen, "What if I said I missed you blond?" John whispered. It was Helen's turn to laugh.

"Please, no one would take me seriously blond." Helen joked.

"I would," John kissed her again and pulled her into his arms just to hold her. Maybe they really could mend the hurt between them. James had been right, time was a great healer.

**KITCHEN:**

Chase sat on one of the counters munching on a Granny Smith apple lost in thought when Ashley walked in and over to her, "I heard we have a real Vampire lurking."

"Hmm," Chase took another bite from her apple.

"And I heard he saved you from Chinese Triads when you stole from them,"

"Uh huh."

"What did mom tell you about stealing from Mobs?" Ashley asked.

"Not to do it unless I could get away with it?" Chase said and looked at her sister offering her a bite of her apple. Ashley took it and jumped up to sit on the counter next to Chase.

"Ace, what happened to warrant a save from a vamp?"

"They had captured a rare abnormal and they were going to sell it on the black market. James sent me in to steal it and bring it back to the UK Sanctuary. I miscalculated their numbers and well Caesar saved me. He said I owed him and one day he would collect, that was three years ago." Chase leaned her head on Ashley's shoulder and jus stared at the wall.

"Wow, what a winner."

"Oh yeah, how do we Magnus women get so lucky?" Chase dead panned. A few seconds of silence then both girls broke out in laughter.


	9. Chapter 9

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This will is a John/Helen story

**JOHN AND HELEN:**

John felt heat pouring over his skin, his body was trapped, and there was pain shooting throughout his entire right side. With his limited scope he could barely make out the limp form of Helen. She lay still; too still that John thought the explosion had killed her. John gathered what strength he could muster and pushed the debris off of his lower body. He had to get to Helen, he had to. Trying to get up to his feet was more difficult than he thought due in large part to the steel shard lodged in his shoulder. His pain didn't matter, Helen was hurt, and he had to get to her. He feared the worst.

Gritting his teeth John gained his footing and stumbled over to Helen. Placing his left hand on her shoulder he moved her so she was on her back. Blood covered half of her face from a laceration to her left temple. Helen coughed and opened her eyes. John had never been so glad to see her blue eyes in all his life. She squinted and put her hand to her forehead. John offered her his left hand and helped her to stand, but her head injury had her swaying on her feet. Blocking out his pain John put her right arm over his shoulder and wrapped his left arm around her waist. He had to grit his teeth to keep a howl of pain from escaping his lips. Helen's hand had tapped the steel shard in his shoulder.

John surveyed the area, burnt rubble and small fires dotted the area around them. If he hadn't teleported them when he had their injuries could have been worse, or they could be at this moment dead. Someone had rigged the building to explode at the precise access points that they were going to teleport into. Either Caesar's information had been false or he had set them up. John would go with the former, but until they had evidence he would reserve judgment.

"You have to stay awake, Helen." John shrugged his shoulder to jostle Helen to drive home his point. He didn't need her succumbing to a coma.

"Staying awake will not be a problem. My head hurts too much," Helen slowly looked around, "Where are the girls?"

"They were on the far side of the complex. Hopefully they were able to make it out." John shook his head to clear the fatigue and blackness enveloping his vision. Together he and Helen staggered out and into what remained of the building.

**ASHLEY AND CHASE:**

Ashley swam to the surface of consciousness by a gust of heat pummeling her face. She looked around and saw her sister coming closer and closer. Ashley couldn't move very well, her legs were trapped by rubble and her right hand had been speared with a thin pipe. She couldn't even teleport, too much damage.

"Chase!" Ashley shouted.

"Ashley, hold on, I'm coming." Chase shouted her reply and Ashley didn't have to wait long. She set to work moving the rubble. That was no problem but Ashley's hand would cause her more pain than anything.

"You… get… away… without a scratch." Ashley groaned when Chase moved a boulder. She looked down and saw blood coating her side from glass that was protruding out of her side. As soon as everything was removed she would heal and then they had to find their parents.

"Well, not really." Chase replied stopping her efforts to free Ashley so she could show her sister the piece of pipe that was through her left side. She hadn't wanted to remove it even though she would heal, but what worried her was the few seconds of pain. If she passed out Ashley would be trapped longer and Chase needed to help her sister.

"Damn, Chase, we really need to find mom… and dad."

"Yeah. Ash…"

"What Ace…"

"This is going to hurt." Chase stated before pulled the pipe out of the wall and out of Ashley's hand. Ashley screamed but watched as the wound closed. In that instant she thanked the heavens for her vampiric healing.

Ashley stood up and rather than tell Chase, she pulled out the pipe and caught her sister as she crumbled to her knee's screaming. But after a minute everything healed. Just once Ashley would have loved to go on a mission and not ruin one of her shirts with blood or holes or singe marks. She pulled out the shard of glass and tossed it aside.

"Come on, we have to find mom and dad." Ashley grabbed Chase's hand and together they teleported to where their parents should have been.

**72 HOURS EARLIER:**

**HELEN'S OFFICE**

Caesar had been called to Helen's office. She relented and asked him to divulge the information he had on the whereabouts of the Cabal. He knew she would have caved sooner or later, but he was shocked it took her this long. He had been lurking around her house for three days and Helen wrote him off as a casual annoyance. Well that was when she could be found. Caesar was not the only one who had trouble locating the head of house when they needed something. He concluded that she had to have been off somewhere with Druitt practicing Gross Anatomy on the other in any dark corner. But now she was sitting behind her desk staring at him, waiting for him to start talking.

Caesar had preferred Helen the way she had been back in Old London, when she had been curious about the world around her. Back then she had been eager for his knowledge. When he had lived at Gregory's house Caesar had delighted in tormenting Helen with tidbits of information regarding abnormals and the hidden wonders around the world. Then she had come to him and asked for his blood. He thought to ask for hers in return, that was the closest he had ever gotten to Helen in terms of being intimate. He knew her heart and therefore her body belonged to Druitt. That was one of the reasons Caesar turned Druitt into the killer, tempted him with the dark pleasure of inflicting pain and lusting for the fear. Jealousy more than anything had Caesar taking the one person in the world that she loved more than anything. And yet when she did not turn to his arms and seek comfort Caesar had left, she would never be his and now he knew that.

"I have come into certain details that deal with the Cabal going into hiding. You spooked them, so now they have gone to ground. But fortunately for you I was feeding on one of their foot soldiers who were responsible for securing their new hiding spot." Caesar paused for a moment trying to draw out his contact with Helen. He knew that as soon as she had his information she would toss him out, not that he didn't have anywhere to go, but taking refuge in the Sanctuary was nice. He had even managed to find his next companion; Kate Freelander. She was young, his taste, and she was ruthless with no morals to speak of. All qualities he liked to exploit for his own gain.

"Is that all you have to tell me?" Helen asked sarcasm ringing in her voice, "Your losing your charm."

"No, I was merely pausing for dramatic effect." Caesar scoffed.

"Get on with it." Helen snapped impatiently. She didn't want to keep the ancient in her house another minute. It was a wonder that he lasted three days here, which was in large part to John distracting her with stolen kisses. She had decided three days ago that she would take as much of the old John she could get before the ripper reasserted his hold.

"So touchy today. The Cabal has a complex in London, White chapel to be exact, where they are holed up waiting for the right time to reassert themselves. You scared them, Helen."

"This is the information you gained?" Helen asked and rose behind her desk to stand in front of him.

"I think it's pretty good. I gave you a location and the Cabal council." Caesar sat on the arm of the sofa and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Yes, thank you, and if you will leave as soon as possible. I'm getting tired of having traces of you all over my house." Helen breezed past him and out of her office. She would get Henry to do some digging and find out if Caesar was telling the truth. If he as then he would love another day, if not, Helen would find a way to kill him.

**THREE DAYS LATER:**

**TWO HOURS BEFORE THE EXPLOSION**

Helen, John, Ashley, and Chase all crowded around a table looking at the various reports Henry had managed to find about the Cabal. The location that Caesar provided had been abandoned for 50 years until about three weeks ago. Henry had also provided a layout of the building. The four of them had decided that it would be better if only they went to investigate rather than put Will and Henry at risk. Both men were more than capable of handling themselves, but the Cabal had threatened Magnus and her daughters. This was something they had to take care of.

"So this is where they are holed up?" Ashley asked moving the floor plan around so she could study it.

"Yes, and it will be the four of us. No need to endanger Henry and Will on what is to be a simple recon mission." Helen stated. She moved two different sets of papers to show the two points of access that they were going to gain entry into the building.

"A family smash and grab, how fun is that?" Chase commented shifting from either foot.

"John and I will gain entry here on the west side of the building," Helen looked to Ashley and continued, "I want you and Chase to access the building from here, the entrance on the north side. This is a simple recon, no killing." Helen stressed her last statement, but looked from John to Chase.

"Yeah, mom we got it." Chase shrugged. She knew only to engage if she was being fired at first, not to covertly to kill the council.

"Get what gear you need, I'll see about getting Henry set up so he can monitor us from satellite coverage"

**WHITE CHAPEL:**

**ABANDONED BUILDING**

The four of them appeared in a deserted ally close enough to the abandoned building that was to be housing the Cabal. Chase and Ashley slipped the ear pieces into place and then teleported to their point of entry. Helen had told them to contact her when they were in position. She took a deep breath and waited. John slipped his hand into hers, offering her some measure of comfort. Helen couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

"Mom, were in position, ready to take the north entrance." Ashley's voice filled Helen's ear.

"Right, go ahead."

Helen gripped John's hand tighter and closed her eyes. When he opened them again they were just inside the West entrance. All she saw were bear walls, trash strewn about the floor, and part of the ceiling was collapsed, "From skyscrapers to back end holes in the wall…"

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." John said and Helen looked at him shaking her head. She took a few more steps into the room and froze.

"John."

John didn't have to reply he was there at her side; they were both looking at a bomb. A small bomb of C4 with three seconds left. John wrapped his arms around Helen, placing himself between her and the resulting blast, and just as the time ran out they teleported taking some of the blast with them. John had intended to take them back to the Sanctuary, but the blast wave that got caught in the jump with them knocked them just beyond the building as it exploded.

Helen smashed her head against a clump of rubble, other burning debris rained down over her. Pain traversed her senses as darkness took her. She barely had enough time to protect the rest of her head when burning rubble rained down from the sky. Helen hadn't seen what happened to John, she had only felt the blast knock her out of his arms. She was having trouble holding a clear thought. The black dots on the edge of her vision were getting bigger and bigger. Helen gave up and let the pain drown her mind and take her into unconsciousness.

John had landed on his feet, but the resulting secondary blast knocked him back. A steel shard lodge in his right shoulder propelling him back as debris pinned him to the ground. He felt the heat felt the heat from the burning building and the debris as he tried to fight his way free, but the pain in his shoulder prevented him from utilizing his right arm or shoulder. He would have to stay pinned or a while as he gained strength to free himself. Craning his neck he saw Helen, her body still. That was all he needed to see. Drawing what strength he could John pushed the bits of stone and other debris off of him so he could get to Helen.

**NORTH ENTRANCE:**

Ashley and Chase teleported to their designated entrance point. Everything looked quiet, no guards at the door, no cameras, and no perimeter defenses. If this was the place they really had gone low rent just to hide. Something about that screamed trap. But Ashley and Chase were still going to check it out on the off chance that it would yield information.

"Mom, we're in position, ready to take the North entrance." Ashley said over the comm.

"Right, go ahead." Her mother's voice came through the ear piece. Ashley nodded to her sister and started towards the front door.

"You know, them choosing White Chapel seems a little on the cliché side." Chase pondered. She knew this was close to where the Ripper murders had taken place, and she guessed that her father was having a not too pleasant trip down memory lane. Chase could only imagine what this place must have looked like back in the old days. Whore on every corner, gentlemen dressed in evening wear and top hats strolling for a nice warm body, then her dad teleporting in picking his victim and… well she didn't want to think about the and of it.

"This is kinda creepy." Ashley muttered as she and her sister teleported to the room beyond the door. Looking around neither one of them saw people. Instead what greeted them were dilapidated walls with old water stains, holes in the floor and ceiling, trash along with the bodies of dead rats and then some who weren't dead at all.

"Do you get the feeling that this is a trap?" Chase asked and kicked over a small piece of dry wall, "Ok Ash, definite trap."

"Why would you say that?" Ashley turned to her sister and saw what she was looking at. The bomb was made of C4 and the counter said they had two seconds left.

"Cause I'm looking at a bomb." Chase replied, looked at her sister and the instant the thought past through her mind they were outside, just outside the building as the bomb went of. The resulting blast propelled both sisters back.

Ashley was slammed into a wall and her hand was speared with a small piece of pipe while broken glass and burning rubble rained down on her covering her up to her chest. If she hadn't had the pure source blood flowing though her veins Ashley felt she would most certainly be dead with in the next hour without help. She tried to move body with most of her body pinned and her right was out of commission. Ashley tried not to scream from the pain, her body was in shock and flooding her body with a natural endorphin tot keep the pain at bay, but she didn't scream. She didn't know if her sister was alright, cause who else would get her out.

Chase had been flung farther than Ashley when the building exploded. She tried to land on her feet but a small piece of pipe impaled her knocking her to the ground. Chase laid there and thought how a building exploding was not on her list of things that she wanted to happen today. She could feel the metal sticking out of her side but she had to push that aside and help Ashley. Gritting her teeth Chase pushed her self to her hands and knees, and then from there she got slowly to her feet so she could search the rubble for her sister.

**20 MINUTES LATER:**

John still supported Helen as he took careful steps through the ruins of the building. There he saw Ashley and Chase walking towards them. He breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped him arm tighter around Helen. With the steel shard in his shoulder he wouldn't be able to teleport very far, and they were a good distance from the Sanctuary. John only hoped that his daughters were unharmed.

"Mom, dad…" Ashley was the first one to reach them.

"Ashley… we have…" Helen tried to forma sentence but the pain in her head prevented coherent thought.

"I know mom, we gotta get out of here." Ashley looked to her father and said, "I'll take her to Sanctuary."

Ashley wrapped her arms around her mom and together they teleported out. Chase came over to her father and looked him up from head to toe, her eyes settling on his right shoulder. She was no medic and he didn't heal like her or Ashley, so that meant waiting until they got back to Sanctuary, "I take it you can't teleport?"

"No, I would do more damage to myself if I tried," John sighed and gave Chase a half chuckle. He would have said more but the endorphins his body was producing was wearing off.

"Don't worry dad. I got your back." Chase took her place on his left side and wrapped her arms around his left taking them to the Sanctuary.

When Chase and John arrived in the infirmary, Nikola was already busy taking care of her mother. Chase helped her dad sit on the gurney next to him as Bigfoot came through the door with more gauze pads and bottles of alcohol. He handed some to Tesla and then the rest he handed to Chase, "Dad, you're gonna have to talk me through this."

"Put your left hand… under the wound. Hold pressure." John directed and grit his teeth as Chase applied pressure causing more pain to spike though his right side.

"Now… now what?"

"I want you to pull out the steel shard as fast as you can." John waited, but Chase hesitated.

"You sure about this?" Chase asked and steadied her right hand on the end of the steel shard.

"Chase, you can do this. Please." John assured her. He took a deep breath and suppressed a howl of pain as the object was removed. With his left hand he grabbed a fist full of gauze and held it to his wound. The pressure he applied was slowly waning as was his strength. Chase pressed the heel of her right hand into the gauze covered wound.

"Ashley, how's mom?" Chase turned to look as Ashley came up next to her.

"Unconscious, but Tesla say's she'll be fine with rest."

"All right Johnny boy, let's take a look at you." Nikola said as he moved behind the gurney to mend John's wound. He noted that the wound was clean, the flesh not torn. It would be easy to sew him up. Grabbing the sutures Nikola began closing the wound. At least John didn't speak. The wound wasn't as big as it had looked, each would only take about five or six stitches. Nikola had to remove a portion of John's shirt so he could bandage the wound after he was done with the stitches. Thankfully both Ashley and Chase had gone to stand by Helen as she rested. On the safe side Nikola had given her a sedative.

"Thank you Nikola." John whispered. He thought it bad enough that the vampire was patching him up, but he thanked Tesla for different reasons. He thanked Tesla because of he was tending Helen.

"You're lucky; your wound isn't as bad as it could have been." Tesla replied, though he knew why John was thanking him. No matter how John acted, when Helen was in danger she was John's first thought, his only thought and Tesla was beginning to realize that.

"How's Helen?"

"So far I can tell that she doesn't have a serious concussion, but that isn't consistent with the blunt force trauma from the impact of the blow. How hard did she hit her head?" Nikola inquired. Looks like he would be sticking around longer than he thought he would.

"I don't know. Everything happened so fast. One minute we were looking around and the next minute the steel rod was through my shoulder and I was covered with rubble. I never even saw her hit her head." John spoke. This was the most he had spoken to Nikola, but it was for Helen.

"As far as I can tell she'll be fine. And you are all patched up, but I suggest you go and rest. Helen will be unconscious for a while. A month can't by without people getting hurt around here." Nikola muttered the last part as he walked back to heck on Helen. For once John didn't argue, berate, or threaten him when he suggested that rest would be the best thing for him.

**LATER THAT EVENING:**

John had spent the rest of the afternoon napping, regaining his strength, but his mind wouldn't let him sleep, not when his heart was screaming at him to go and sit with Helen. Night had descended before he finally left his room to be with her. John had expected Ashley and Chase to be with their mother, but both girls were surprisingly absent. He pulled over a chair and gently took her hand. She shifted slightly, her head moving back and forth. Helen appeared to be dreaming, but it wasn't the dreaming that had John looking around. The lab equipment was floating in the air, bottles of alcohol, bandages, and various other things. As John turned his gaze back to Helen she sat up quickly as everything came crashing to the ground.

"Please tell me that was not me?" Helen asked looking at John and then to the mess on the floor.

"I think more happened to you than a knock to your skull." John moved a strand of Helen's hair out of her face and she smiled.

"This is why I don't sleep, much. I have a nightmare and the room shakes, I dream of… other things, and this happens." Helen motioned to the medical equipment on the floor.

"Why did you never tell me?" John asked and sat on the edge of the bed so he could be closer to her.

"It didn't happen until after you…" Helen trailed off. She wanted to say, _'After you left.'_ But that wouldn't be fair. "I only discovered this, telekinetic ability; a few months after things between us had dissolved. I woke to my bedroom shaking violently after a nightmare." Helen leaned close and rested her head on his shoulder. She heard John grunt in pain. Leaning back she saw a slight trace of blood.

"It's nothing." John said though the pain had ripped down his arm and through his fingers. Due to the source blood he was immune to a wide range of infections, but that didn't lessen the pain.

Helen closed her eyes and yawned. She couldn't remember being so tired, "I just want to sleep in my own bed." She sighed and moments later that's where she was, sitting with John in her dark room on her bed.

"All you had to do was ask," John leaned foreword and kissed her forehead.

John moved away from Helen and made to leave her room so she could rest. His body was quickly using up what little strength he had regained. He had never felt as drained as when Helen had poisoned him with her blood.

"John, please, don't go." Helen muttered to the dark. She wanted him to stay and for him to hold her. They had nearly gotten killed today, her body needed the comfort and so did her weary mind.

"As you wish." John turned; shed his shoes and shirt before climbing into bed and settling himself on her right side. He moved his left arm out and waited to see if Helen would curl into his side. Her warmth touched him as she pulled the blankets over them so sleep could claim them. The last thing John heard was Helen contented sigh.

John's mind would not shut down. All he could see was her body lying there not moving as fire burned around them. It had been a while since he had felt such heart wrenching fear, fear for her and the fear that their daughters were seriously injured. Al that mattered was getting to Helen, she was his only concern. But when her blood had stained his hands John didn't know how to feel in that moment. She was alive but her blood was all over his hands.

"Now, it's time for you to stop thinking." Helen slurred. She was still on the edge of sleep. John turned his head and kissed her temple.

"Go back to sleep," John said to the darkness and then he tried to quiet his mind, tried to allow sleep to claim him, but he was still too worried about Helen. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her after the explosion.

Helen tried to sleep, but she couldn't. She didn't want to wake up to either her room shaking or the things levitating in the air. For a time she thought she had the ability under control but the only sure way was not to sleep more than a few hours. Sitting up Helen stared down at John and for the first time that day she really saw him and his injury. Her hand immediately went to examine the wound but John grabbed her wrist gently before she could reach it. The moon light trailed in and bathed them in a silvery glow, much like it did when they had been in the desert.

John sat up and with his left arm pulled Helen in close to his body, more than anything he needed to feel her, feel her heat, and just feel her breathing against him. He felt a single tear drop onto his shoulder. She was crying and he hoped that it wasn't for him. Pulling back John wiped away the tear track.

"I don't know why I'm crying," Helen sniffed and felt more tears gather in her eyes.

"If you would like for me…"

"No, I want you to stay. Maybe it's because we have come so far to end up where we started." Helen laughed and more tears fell. She and John had been passionate lovers, enemies, and now they were back to being lovers.

"Do you think this is where we were always meant to end; together?" John asked and cupped Helen's cheek. On more than one night when he had been in the grips of madness, his mind had taken him back to a time when he and Helen had been happy. Why hadn't he fought harder to remain in control? Why hadn't he told her something was horribly wrong with him?

"Yes, our path was always meant to be one, though the journey was a bit of a rough one." Helen smiled this was the most she had ever talked about personal feelings, and it was all the more important now that she was here with John. She wanted him to remain the man he was, the balance had had managed to find between the Ripper and the john he had used to be.

As Helen had done, John changed the subject. Now was not the time to be discussing what was between them but more how Helen would develop her gifts, "Why did you never try and control this gift?"

"I have some control, not enough, but some." Helen answered, she knew he deliberately changed the subject and that was fine with her.

"Not sleeping isn't good enough," John chuckled and pulled Helen back down so she could rest her mind. He knew her well enough to know when she needed rest and she was in desperate need of it now, "Turn your mind off and rest."

**HENRY'S LAB:**

Chase had been left to her own devices as Ashley had gone to see squid. Will was somewhere with Clara, Bigfoot was feeding the residents and her parents were mending from the explosion that had nearly killed them all. So Chase was on her own and she had decided to go and see Henry who was working on something for her. Chase lurked for a few moments in the doorway and watching him typing away.

"Hey, Henry, you find anything out on the name I gave you?" Chase asked as she entered coming to stand behind him.

Henry turned to look at Chase and was stunned to see her dirty. She was singed with soot on her face, dirt all over her, and blood still coating her clothes, not that she didn't look good dirty; he would have thought she would have changed by now, "What happened to you?"

"Oh, nothing, I nearly got blown up but other than that, nothing really." Chase idly mentioned as she looked at the computer screen to see he was still running the name that she had given him.

Henry stood up and pulled Chase towards him, picking her up by the back of her thighs before setting her on the table in the center of the room, "What do you mean blown up?"

"Oh, that building you were supposed to be monitoring, it exploded, big huge bang, and we, "Chase indicated her mother, father and Ashley, "Nearly died, which was not on my list of things to do today."

Henry cupped Chase's cheeks and pulled her close for a light kiss. Everything that had been happening in the weeks since she had come home they barely had time to be alone. There was still much to be done, but right now he had her alone and he was going to use every minute of the time he was given. Pulling back Henry rested his hands on either side of her thighs and smiled. She was leaning in for another kiss when the computer beeped signaling the completion of the search he was running for Chase. Henry went back to his computer and saw what the search had turned up. To say he was stunned would be putting it mildly, "You've gotta be kidding me!"

"What?" Chase got down off the table and looked over Henry's shoulder. What she saw stunned her, "Please tell me this is a joke?"

"Doesn't look it," Henry answered.

"How accurate is this search?" Chase inquired.

"Pretty accurate." Henry added and typed a few commands to enhance the picture.

"She's been this close the entire time?" Chase exclaimed.

"Looks like." Henry answered. He had mixed feelings on how Magnus was going ot react, let alone Druitt or Ashley.

"We gotta tell mom."

"Can't it wait until morning?" Henry whined, but followed Chase anyway.

"No, not with this, not with whom you just found." Chase walked out of Henry's lab and over to the wide stair case that would take her to the main level of her home and then she would have to find her mom and tell her who Henry just found.


	10. Chapter 10

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This is a John/Helen story

Chase stood frozen outside her mother's door. Her hand was raised and ready to knock when she heard two heart beats. They were slow and steady to indicate sleep, but that wasn't what had her taking pause, it was the fact that both hearts were beating as one, though one was a half a second off, they were still as one. Chase realized who was in her mother's room; she backed away and into Henry's chest. Happiness swelled in her chest and her family would soon be reunited.

"I thought we were going to tell your mom?" Henry whispered as his hand came to rest on her stomach, it was reflex as her back came into contact with his chest. Chase tapped a heart rhythm on his hand and held up two fingers.

"There's two heart beats in her room Henry." Chase whispered and signaled Henry to move away. In a few hours she would tell her mother that they found Dana Whitcomb. For now it would be good for her to rest.

Ashley had just come back from her meeting with Squid, who had pretty much told her what she suspected the minute she had seen the bomb, when she saw Chase and Henry hurrying down the stairs. Her sister had her hand in Henry's and they were laughing. The last time Chase and Henry had been laughing together, that Ashley had seen, was a few months before Chase left. And then chase left, Henry had moped around the Sanctuary for weeks. But now they were laughing and bringing happiness into the house once again.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Ashley asked and looked from Chase to Henry and then back to Chase again.

"Oh, nothing, Henry was being a Techno God and he found Dana Whitcomb." Chase answered, a wicked grin plastered on her face. She let go of Henry's hand and came to stand next to Ashley.

"How did you manage that one Gumby?" Ashley joked

"Oh, wait, what? I'm back to being Gumby again?" Henry turned on Ashley, "But if you must know. I patched her picture through facial recognition software. I managed to catch her passing in front of a store window in New City." Henry said.

"Why would she be that stupid, or bold?" Chase asked. The few times Dana had come to question her she always caught the scent of arrogance. Why would she be stupid now?

"Maybe she doesn't fear for her life yet?" Ashley mused.

"She has to know we have to be looking for her." Chase responded. Only she wondered what they would do once they had her in custody. Would she die? Or would she just disappear? Chase opted for death, but wouldn't mind her to just be gone somewhere far away she couldn't hurt anyone.

"Have you told mom yet?" Ashley turned away from her sister and headed for the stairs, but stopped when Chase grabbed her arm.

"Don't do that, she's sleeping." Chase hurriedly explained. She didn't want her sister to blow a gasket if Chase said that she suspected that their father was in their mother's room.

"She's our mom, she barely sleeps." Ashley tossed back and tried to head up the stairs again only Chase's hand on her arm kept her where she was.

"Yes, but she did have her head cracked open like a cantaloupe. We can tell her in the morning, besides I want to hear about how your meeting went with Squid." Chase steered Ashley away from the stairs and towards the den.

Ashley let her sister change the subject, mainly because she did find out a few things and Chase would have to be told. Plus chase was right, being in an explosion, Helen Magnus needed her rest. Ashley knew her mother wasn't invincible, though at times she liked to believe just that, and she had seen how bad the head wound had been. Before she had teleported away Ashley had seen something in her father's eyes, fear, and she thought that was the one thing she never would see from him. He was after all a notorious killer, Jack the Ripper, and yet he had allowed fear to pour into his eyes; all for her mother.

"So, Ash, what did you hear on the grape vine?" Chase asked as she plopped down on to the couch. She propped her feet on the table and laced her fingers over her stomach. Ashley sighed and sat down next to her sister.

"Squid confirmed what we already suspected. We were set up. Either that Ghoul knew or he was misled."

"You know what? I think someone is trying to kill us." Chase said after taking a moment's pause. She knew it was pointing out the obvious but it was still worth the mention.

"Yeah, you haven't gotten that by now?" Henry pushed Chase's feet off the table so he could sit in front of her.

"I just thought it would be worth mentioning. Besides," Chase sighed and looked at Ashley, "How are we going to tell mom and dad that we found her? I got the feeling that she was subtly telling us to leave the Cabal alone."

"She wasn't telling us to leave them alone. Mom was making sure we knew she was worried. Frankly I agree with you, we should take the fight to them and take care of Dana ourselves." Ashley leaned over and rested her head on Chase's shoulder letting out a huge sigh. Life as a Magnus was an interesting ride. Ashley felt her eye lids getting heavy. Combined with nearly getting blown up and spending an hour talking to Squid, Ashley felt drained. She felt herself slip into sleep at her sister's side.

Chase craned her head to see if Ashley had fallen asleep and she had, Chase wasn't far behind. Being in the explosion and then the blood loss combined with the knowledge that Dana was close to their home, it was enough to make one's mind want to shut down and go to sleep. Since she had gotten here it seemed that was all she was doing lately; sleeping. Chase had never slept so much in the past. One last look to Henry and Chase let her eyes close.

Henry watched as both Ashley and Chase slipped into sleep. A lot had happened and he was surprised that they hadn't passed out. He smiled and left them to sleep on the couch. There were things that Henry had to see to, defenses that had to be upped and he was going to do a more thorough search for Dana Whitcomb. He just wanted to make sure that he had the right location. Shaking his head Henry went back to his lab.

**LATER THAT AFTERNOON:**

Helen sat in the middle of her bed staring at one of the books on her dresser. John was behind her, his arms around her waist, and his chin resting on her shoulder. She had told him that she didn't want to do this but he used logic on her and subdued her with kisses. Only John knew how to kiss her into submission and she hated that he still had that skill. So, she was now sitting on her bed trying to move a book with her telekinesis. There had been reasons why she had never developed this gift and they all had revolved around John and his betrayal. Yet, here she was now trying to summon her gift.

"You can do this, it's just a thought." John whispered and kissed the side of Helen's neck. He had gotten her to try just by pushing her limits and he knew how to push. He knew what buttons to use and how to aggravate her. John had used her own body against her and secretly he knew she loved it. They had sat here for a good fifteen minutes and Helen had made the book shake but she hadn't moved over to where she sat.

"I know I can do this, I just don't want to." Helen lightly nudged the side of her head with John's. She had work to do, she always had work to do and yet John kept her anchored to the bed as he encouraged her gift. She loved having him sitting behind her, his body molding to hers reminded Helen of the lazy Sunday's they used to share back during their days at Oxford.

The book started to shake again as her concentration turned to anger, anger at herself for not developing this gift sooner, anger at john who encouraged her now, and just anger at the current state of her life. She was in love with a man who had destroyed her world, gave her two beautiful daughters, and breezed back into her life to combat a new threat. But more than anything she was angry at the fact at how little anger she harbored towards him now. Helen had lost focus and instead of moving the book slowly across the room towards them, she inadvertently hurled it towards them at a great velocity. John had a split second to pull Helen back down to the mattress before the book thundered against the headboard. Helen suppressed a chuckle, but she knew John had heard her.

"That was not funny," John growled but it only made Helen's body shake with more laughter, "Are you trying to kill me?" John asked, but he said it with laughter in his voice.

Helen turned and straddled John's waist, pinning his hands above his head, "If, I wanted to kill, I could find," Helen started to say and then leaned over him to nip at the flesh above his heart, "Betters ways." Helen smiled and moved to nestle into John's side. During the short night they had been asleep his shoulder wound had healed as had her head. There was one good thing that came out of her abnormal abilities was the fast healing, not as fast as Ashley or Chase, but with rest her wounds would heal in a day.

"Woman, your do your best to make me lose my senses and I love every minute of it." John whispered and gently took Helen's lips in a loving kiss. He just wanted Helen to trust him, to love him, and want him like she had used to. So much lay between them, so much pain, anger, and hate. Yet love remained burning in their hearts like shining star. John fused all his love into the kiss. He willed her to feel his love.

Helen pulled back and stared down at him and she saw some of the man she had loved, the John Druitt who had been at Oxford, the man who thirsted for knowledge, who hungered for her and no one else. Maybe, just maybe, they could start again, have the family they wanted. Out of her periphery she saw the same book, only it was levitating. She smiled and John looked where she was and he chuckled, "I told you could do it."

"Cheeky Monkey," Helen laughed and kissed him again before climbing out of bed and heading in to the shower. Just before the door shut John was behind her, his arms around her waist, and his lips at her neck trying to devour her. Helen craned her neck to the side so John could have more; her heart rate sped up as she looked in the mirror. She sucked in a breath and John stopped, his eyes meeting hers in the reflection. The last time they had been like this was the morning after Ashley and Chase had been conceived. John splayed his hands over Helen's stomach and smiled. He had done the same thing that morning long past as well. Back then she had imagined what it would be like for him to be with her while she was carrying his child, but John turning into the Ripper had smashed all her dreams of their family.

Helen turned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she angled her head to capture his lips with hers. As much as she had not wanted to develop her gift, Helen had been glad that John had encouraged her. She moaned when John backed her up against the stone sink. He picked her up by the back of her thighs and set her on the edge. Helen wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer, so much closer so she could feel more of his body and the hardness of him pressing to her center. His mouth dominated hers and she let him, Helen let John be in control this time, but only this one time. He was like a drug that she thought had gotten out of her system, but as he was here kissing her, making her burn, and making her crazy, Helen deduced that she had not gotten over John. And she never would be over him.

John had spent the rest of the night next to Helen and most of the morning and afternoon trying to get her to use her gift. Now they were in her bathroom heating the passion that lay between them once again. He traced his hand up her waist and under the light camisole top so he could caress her heated flesh. The gentlemen in him told him to stop, he had to stop, and he couldn't take her while she sat on a stone ledge when there was a perfectly good bed in the other room. John wanted to taste her, to have her again, once was never enough, and it never would be. But they had business to take care of. Gathering his will John stepped away and leaned his forehead to Helen's.

"We should make our presence known, can't stay in bed all day." John whispered. He placed a chaste kiss to her pulse and then backed out of the room.

"Why not?" Helen shouted and through the door she heard John's deep rumbling laughter. The least he could do was stay and shower with her, but then they might not make it out of there if he had stayed.

**THE DEN:**

John had come down the stairs in search of his daughters, and he didn't have to search far. Ashley and Chase were both asleep on one of the couches in the den. All his long life he had barely slept, yet when he got here most of the time he spent unconscious. John knew that Chase barely slept and yet there she was sleeping soundly like a child, along with Ashley. It was a curse of their blood, insomnia, but events of late were taking their toll.

John quietly sat in front of Chase and Ashley. He raked his gaze over both his daughters; Ashley was blond like her mother and Chase was brunette like he had been, once. But what remained the same were the eyes, a clear crystal blue. Ashley lay curled into her sister's side with her head resting on Chase's shoulder and her left arm draped over Chase's waist. Chase had her left arm draped over Ashley's upper thighs and her head was pillowed on top of Ashley's. John thought they looked like sleeping angels, gothic 21st century angels.

John rose to leave them to sleep only to look at Helen watching their daughters. She had a soft smile on her face, her head tilted to the side. He came over to her side and was going to nudge her out the door when Chase and Ashley woke up to stare at them.

"Hey, what time is it?" Ashley rubbed at her eyes as she gained her feet.

"1:30 in the afternoon." Helen smiled.

"Oh, wow, we slept that long. The last thing I remember doing is talking with Henry." Chase cracked her neck got up as well. She looked from her father, to her mother, and then to her sister. This was her family and she was proud to be apart of it. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she saw the subtle shift of her parent's bodies. He stood closer to the other, much closer then when she had first gotten here.

"That seems all you do since you've gotten home," Helen mused.

"Well, in my defense I've died, and I was nearly blown up…. So I guess I would need some sleep after that." Chase replied and walked over to her mom. She put her arms around her shoulders and just felt the warmth and love coming off her. "I'm glad, you're my mother," Chase whispered and backed away.

Helen looked from Ashley to Chase and then back to Ashley who had a serious look in her eyes, the both did. They had found something and they were reluctant to say, "What are you two hiding?" Helen asked.

Both girls looked at each other and then turned guilty eyes on their mother with Ashley saying, "How do you know that?"

"I'm your mother, I'm supposed to know. Now what have you found?" Helen walked over to the couch across from the one Ashley and Chase had been sleeping on. She motioned for her daughters to sit as John took his place next to Helen, his attention piqued as to what the girls had discovered. He hoped that it was the location of Dana Whitcomb.

"Ashley, you tell her."

"No, you Chase."

"It should come from you." Chase poked her sister in the arm and jumped when Ashley returned the gesture, only she poked harder.

"One of you…"

Ashley and Chase looked at each other and then settled their gaze on their mother, "Henry found Dana Whitcomb. I had him run her photo; on the off chance we would hit pay dirt and find her. Well, we did, and she is close to the Sanctuary, our Sanctuary, our home." Chase informed. She noticed that her father sat a little straighter and darkness settled in his eyes. Chase had seen that look before, only it was reflected in her eyes. He was steeling himself for the inevitable kill. She didn't want her father to go back to who he was, though she had not known him as monster, she could tell that it was close to breaking loose.

"Why did you not tell me earlier?" Helen asked and watched as Chase lowered her head and lifted her hand to her heart and tapped a heart beat, and then she held up two fingers.

"I heard two heart beats, in your room. I was gonna tell you but you needed rest and I didn't want to wake you." Chase looked away.

"You should have told me…"

"You need rest just like everyone else." Chase sighed and got up to stand in front of the window. She looked at the ring on her left hand and then out to look at New City spread out before her. It wasn't her sister who came to stand behind her or her father, it was her mother.

"You could have woken me…"

"No, I will not go against fate; I will not disturb the single unified beating of two hearts." Chase whispered, "That is the truest kind of love mother, when two hearts can beat as one no matter the pain and anger that still lies between them. Which is why I didn't wake you."

Helen sighed and looked at John, she knew her heart belonged to him, but them to beat together was impossible. 'Ok Helen, improbable maybe, not impossible.' Helen thought and then said, "What are we to do about Dana Whitcomb?" She walked back to the couch and sat down next to John while she waited for Chase to take her place next to Ashley.

"I vote for the Eiffel Tower. We teleport her to the top and leave her hanging by her underpants." Ashley suggested which caused John to smile. She had said that to him once, at the time she wasn't trying to be funny, but now she actually meant it, though it came off as humorous.

"How about we teleport her to the lip of a volcano and leave her there." Chase stated and sat down next to her sister.

"Any suggestions that don't involve her death?" Helen asked, this time being specific.

"Nope," Ashley said and looked to Chase.

"Uh uh," Chase shook her head and looked to her father.

"I dare say not," John answered.

"We could put her in the SHU with one of those nasty ass monsters. I vote for the giant iguana." Ashley suggested.

"Or we could put her in with the fire element…" Chase started to reply but Helen cut them off.

"Enough, the both of you. We are not going to kill her." Helen stated her tone firm and commanding.

"Come on mom. Seriously we should at least put her out of her misery, ok, well our misery." Ashley nearly shouted. She had the most to gain from Dana's death, at least some peace of mind. It was on Dana's orders that Ashley had been experimented on and turned into an abnormal that tried to take down her mother's network, for that Dana Whitcomb's days were numbered. And before the end Ashley would make her beg for mercy.

"Ashley, you should listen to your mother," John said, rising from the couch. He had to pace, needed to pace. Too much anger was flying through his body, and to hear his own lust for revenge reflected in Ashley's voice, it made him cringe on the inside.

"Just because half of my DNA comes from doesn't mean you need to tell me to listen to my mom." Ashley snapped.

"Shouldn't we at least have her in custody before we talk about how we are going to kill her?" Chase asked.

"We are not going to kill her. Is no one listening to me?" Helen shouted, rose from the couch and paced as John was doing.

"It has to be discussed mom, by all of us. Not just Ashley, you, dad, and myself. I mean Henry, Will, Clara, and even Nikola. She went after all of us in one form or another and she should pay a price." Chase casually said, too casually for her mothers liking.

In her words Helen heard John's voice echoing in her mind over and over. Yes, she agreed that Dana should pay a price, but she did not think that that price should be death. It was too high and she would never learn not to mess with the Magnus family or the Sanctuary network. There was some deep dark part of Helen that screamed for Dana's blood to be spilled, she wanted it as much as she knew John would. That woman had been responsible for the torture of Ashley and Chase. The mother in her wanted Dana dead, but Helen the logical scientist knew it was wrong to take her life for just that reason.

"Let's capture her first, and then we will talk about this, later." Helen made her tone firm and commanding. She knew that Ashley and Chase would take their revenge, but if she said no her daughters would abide her wishes. Then there was John, she wasn't so sure that he would stay his hand in the course of his own wants of revenge for the injustice Chase and Ashley suffered.

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

Helen leaned against the edge of her desk, her arms crossed over her chest as John stood beside her mirroring her position. Nikola stood brooding in a corner while Ashley paced. Will and Clara were sitting on the sofa to the left as Chase and Henry sat on the one to the right. Chase only stared at her mother. She knew what was coming as did Ashley and John. Earlier Chase, Ashley, Helen, and John had discussed what should happen to Dana. Three to one for were for Dana's death while Helen remained on the side of keeping her alive. Chase had been right in saying all of them should discuss Dana Whitcomb's fate.

"It has just been brought to my attention the Dana Whitcomb has been located. She is indeed at this moment very close to the Sanctuary. I asked you all here to ask your thoughts on what we should do about her. John, Ashley, and chase have already voiced their opinions and voted for her death. I want to see and hear what the rest of you think." Helen said and looked around the room at each of them.

"I'm with you Magnus, I don't think we should kill her and we can't turn her over to the authorities. What would we tell them?" Will posed the question they all were thinking. Even if the authorities could detain her, they had nothing to charge her on. That meant it was up to the Sanctuary Network to dole out her punishment.

"Sorry, but I stay we take her out of the picture. Let her die, she would be one less headache we have to deal with." Clara stated. All eyes went to her.

"Clara…"

"No, you asked us. My vote is death." Clara looked away and out of the window. She had nearly died had it not been for the brutality displayed by Chase and her triumph over that super abnormal.

"As much as I think she should die, we would be no better than her if we did that. But we can't keep her here, can we?" Henry voiced his opinion.

"We could, in theory. The cells in the SHU were designed for long term incarceration. But we would run the risk of her escaping." Helen answered and nodded at Henry.

"So, we just put her in a deep dark hole somewhere.," Chase tossed out the idea, "If we can't kill her, then put her somewhere we can make sure she can't escape."

"Changing your vote?" John asked raising his eyebrow at Chase. She had been plotting Dana's death not two hours ago and now she was changing her mind.

"Offering alternatives." Chase replied. She more than anyone wanted to see Dana dead, but if it was not the way fro her to go then Chase would settle for her being kept in some deep dark hole.

"Now, the question is, dear Helen, would you be the one taking her life?" Nikola asked as he moved out of the corner.

Helen looked right at Nikola and she knew her answer, no amount of anger could make her take the life of another human being. Even if that human was Dana Whitcomb, the woman responsible for the torture of her daughters, "No, I couldn't take her life, not even if someone put the gun in my hand." Helen answered. She was not a killer. She didn't have the mentality to take life. She had killed before but that was in defense.

"Then why are we even talking about killing, unless you are not going to be the one to dispatch her. To your left you have your charming psychopath, who I'm sure, would love nothing than to kill her. Then you have Chase, the vicious little monster she is, due to her animal DNA, looks eager to take more life." He grinned wickedly at Chase when she growled at him.

"Nikola…"

"No, mom, he's right. I am monster, but the Cabal made me so. I would have no moral qualms about killing her." Chase stated and rose from the couch to stand between her mother and Nikola.

"Who says you would be the one to dispatch Whitcomb?" John asked and walked over to Chase.

"Well, I'm not going to let you kill her."

"I'm your father, that's my right."

"I won't let you become the soulless kill you used to be." Chase growled. The need to protect her family and be the enforcer screamed through her mind. Her father was gaining ground with her mother and needed to stay on that path.

"Like father like daughter." Nikola mused. He had to move back quickly because Chase lunged at him, snarling and snapping, but what Nikola noticed was that her eyes had gone red. Chase would have reached him had it not been for John. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand wrapped around her throat.

"Stop! Chase, come back." John ordered and exerted more force on Chase. She was still snapping and snarling. He had not seen her like this in weeks. The last time he had seen her like this was the one time he had managed to save a Cabal agent from being killed by his daughter. John really thought she had control of her beast. Chase sagged lightly against him and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Nikola." Chase heaved out a breath and coughed, "I guess I shouldn't be talking about death. My beast gets a little excited and wants to come out and play." Chase said sarcasm ringing in her voice.

John ran his hand up and down Chase's back and looked at Helen, "We should leave this discussion for another time."

"Yes, I dare say you're right." Helen nodded and everyone filed out of her office, only Nikola, John, and Chase remained.

Chase pulled away from her father and started to head out of the door when he caught her arm, "Dad, I'm better. I'll take my anger out on punching bag or something."

"Do not leave this house, are we clear?" John warned. He didn't chase acting rashly.

"Dad you can track me where ever I go," She held up her left hand where her ring lay. They had discovered that it also worked as a tracking device. Even now she could feel her father just on the edge of her mind, he was barely a whisper but she could feel him. He always seemed to know when she was in danger and he would come and save her.

"Just, don't…" John clasped his hand with hers so his ring was visible as well.

"What are you going to do, follow me around?" Chase asked and then growled. She didn't need her father following her around the Sanctuary because he was afraid she would slip away and kill Dana, she had thought about it but it was not her place to kill the bitch. It had to be her mother's choice, as much as Chase would love other wise. The decision rested with Helen Magnus.

"If I have to," John answered. He looked at Helen and then followed Chase out of the door.

Helen leaned back against her desk and covered her eyes with her right hand. She sighed and looked up when Nikola stood in front of her wearing a strange expression, "You know I just realized that you will never look at me the way you look at Druitt."

"Oh, Nikola. He's just…." Helen started to say, but her words died on her tongue. She didn't know what to tell Nikola. Helen doubted that he had ever loved her, flirted to annoy John; she knew that it wouldn't be above Nikola to do.

"You love him, don't you?"

"Nikola, I… see you as my friend. That's all I can see you as, my friend." Helen chose to ignore Nikola saying she loved John. Yes, she loved him, but she was not ready for others to know that yet.

"At least I'm still that, despite everything. That doesn't mean I won't flirt with you just to annoy that psycho." Nikola quipped and smiled his boyish grin.

Helen smiled back and nodded her head, "Yes, Nikola, you are still my friend." She said, she had nothing else to say to his comment about flirting with her and moved past him. What she had seen of Chase worried her and that was her next stop.

**NORTH TOWER:**

Helen walked through the door expecting to find Chase, instead she found John. He had his back to her as he looked out at New City. She took a few minutes to watch him dressed in black. All he ever wore was black lately, as did she. It was a product of her being raised in the Victorian era, dark colors for a dark time. "I know you are watching me." John said and Helen blushed. She had been caught. He turned to her and held out his hand willing her to take it. She could tell John wanted to hold her, to feel her body against his, just as she yearned for his touch now, craved his body to fit with hers.

Helen debated going to him, taking his hand, and letting him pull her into his arms so she could feel his warmth and revel in his body, but she sighed and instead asked, "What happened in there?" This question should have been asked when Chase first came home. John had been harboring their daughter, making her better, and bringing her back into herself.

John sighed as well, dropping his hand, and turning his back on Helen, "She, lost control. No, it is more than that. Parts of her beast bled through the chains she has it shackled with. When I found her, she was a snarling snapping beast, but some part of our daughter managed to regain her mind and chain the animal, yet sometimes it gains a foot hold in her mind as you saw."

"They did more than torture her, and Ashley," Helen went to him then and let him enfold her in his arms. John held her so her back was pressed tight against his chest. His fingers interlaced with hers as he crossed her arms over her chest to hold her more securely to him than she already was.

"She must die, after everything that has happened to our daughters…" John uttered his tone low and dangerous. He felt a shudder run through Helen as his tone.

"If we killed her John, then we are not better than she is," Helen replied and leaned her head back so it rested on his shoulder.

"Is this how it feels to be a parent? To worry and want to protect them?" John whispered. Helen could hear the torment and pain, and anger in his voice. She hated to hear him like this.

"Becoming a father suits you." Helen untangled her hands from his and turned to face him, she needed to see his face.

"I became their father the moment I rescued Chase, truly their father." John leaned his forehead to Helen's and allowed her to witness the tears to fall. He had so many conflicting emotions swirling in his mind. The need to protect he children, his woman, and then there was the need to take the life of the woman who nearly destroyed Ashley and Chase. He wanted her blood; he wanted to take her life. Her life in payment for the pain and agony his children had suffered. It seemed fair in his mind, but he could see Helen's point. If they killed her they would, in fact, be no better.

Helen felt one of his tears drop onto her cheek. How much pain was he enduring, how much suffering was he going through? John had never been like this when she had known him, not when they had been human. She was stunned, but not stunned enough. Pulling back from him Helen kissed his tears away. They had come full circle, but this time was different. She could admit that he was the man she wanted, despite the killer he had been and the killer he may yet revert to; Helen wanted him, wanted to love him, and wanted him to hold her on the cold nights. She would never be free of him and she never wanted to be. Nikola was right; she was still in love with him. That would never change, "I love you, I always will." Helen let her own tears fall. She had said the single thing that could unite them or destroy them.

John looked at her. He had wanted to hear that single declaration since he had come back, more so when they had been in the desert making love, and he had yearned to have her say it as the sun rose to bath them in the first light of dawn. But being Helen, she chose her own time to come to things. She always had and always would. Now john knew that her love for him had survived all that he had done, all the hatred he had infected her with, and all the pain he had inflicted. John knew he had been meant for Helen, he had known it in his soul and in his heart. She was the missing half and he had tried to cut her out, but now she was so closely bound to him that it would destroy both of the should he revert back to who and what he was. Her love would be enough to keep him grounded, keep him John Druitt, at least he hoped.

John molded his lips to Helen's tasted her lips, felt the silken slide of her tongue as it invaded his mouth. What started as his kiss soon became hers. She dominated his mouth, showing him what a kiss with her should be like. John took back his control and showed her how he was going to kiss her. Using his lips he feasted from her mouth, taking in her taste, reminding him of what he was fighting for, he was fighting for her love, the love she was trusting him with once again. She nipped at his bottom lip and John growled into her mouth making her shiver. This was how it should be with them and John was going to make sure it stayed that way.


	11. Chapter 11

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This is a John/Helen story

**HENRY'S LAB:**

Chase had managed to ditch her dad, well really, she had convinced him that she would not slip out of Sanctuary and kill Dana, as much as she would love to, she promised and Chase kept her word. So, instead, Chase decided to come down and see Henry. She stood just inside the door and watched him scan three different monitors, all of which were satellite enhanced street views of New City. He was tracking Dana, keeping tabs for when, or if, the rest decided to take her down. Even though he had been pumped so full of drugs himself, Henry had chosen for Dana's incarceration rather than her death. Chase understood why he chose this way. Henry was trying to be the human he was raised and not the monster he was born. If anything Chase was more of a monster than Henry, everything that she had done rivaled what Henry might do if provoked.

Yet, there he sat multi-tasking and looking human to Chase's eyes. When she looked in the mirror she waited for the monster to bleed through, her eyes to turn red, and the blood lust to flood her system. But her father had helped her through the darkest of the dark times. Chase walked further into the room and said, "Hey Techno God, may I enter your humble domain?"

Henry turned to see Chase, a smiling lighting his face as he replied, "Sure, my domain is free for all who enter." He shook his head and turned back to the three monitors.

"Managed to find her again?" Chase asked coming closer and leaning against Henry's shoulders.

"Yeah, so far, well, that is if she doesn't catch onto the fact that we are following her."

"Oh yes heaven forbid." Chase drawled and ruffled Henry's hair. He drew his hands away from the keyboard so he could lean back further and wrapped his arms around Chase, lacing his fingers.

"Magnus asked I keep an eye on her, coincidently before she went looking for you." Henry commented.

"Hmm, you don't say. Looks like we have nothing to do but sit and wait around for… anything to happen." Chase paused and looked at the photo of Dana remembering what that woman ordered.

_Chase huddled as far from the cell door as she could while keeping an eye on the red haired woman named Dana and the scientist she had by her side. The first thing they had done was give her claws, then they drew out the vicious monster in her mind, and that was before they had tried to tame her. She tensed her muscles, waiting, waiting for them to do anything. Chase had given up snapping and snarling, it had done her no good._

"_You seem to have broken her of the snapping and snarling." Dana mused as she took a step closer to the cell. The woman/animal they had managed to cage was a thing of beauty, a prize from a most desired blood line; she was a Magnus and a Druitt. The perfect killer, if they could train her._

"_I'm not so sure about that, she killed one of the handlers yesterday. She ripped his throat out and mauled what was left of him. If we hadn't had her tasered she would have gotten loose." The scientist said and handed Dana the report._

"_So she is strong and fast. More than we could have hoped. If all goes well with her, then we can implement phase two." Dana cast one last look at Chase and then handed the report back to her head scientist before leaving the good Doctor to her work._

_Chase listened and learned the rotation of the guards. Thanks to the experiments she could hear better and see farther than she had before. Her powers were off the scale before, but now they were much more. Soon it would be the down fall of those who held her. Her beast prowled through her mind, the anticipation of shedding blood, taking human life, the life of her enemy's was flowing through her veins, giving her the added strength she would soon need to escape._

"You in there?" Henry asked, close to Chase's face.

Chase shook her head to clear out the images and feelings from when she had been in the cell, "What? Sorry I was…"

"Zoning out. That's ok. Happens to me all the time," Henry smiled and placed alight kiss on Chase's lips.

"I just… hate the thought that she is walking around in, breathing the same air, and moving closer to this Sanctuary, this haven, my home." Chase growled and stalked to the window, opening it so the crisp cool air blowing off the water would take the edge of anger from her. She didn't want to be angry around Henry. Chase didn't want the all consuming rage that poured through her blood, a curse of her lineage. It was true; she was very much her father; the same train of thought, the same anger, and the same lust to kill. Chase took off the ring her and her father both had in common and looked at it. Instantly she didn't feel his presence, the slight whisper of his conscious mind to hers. Quickly replacing the ring her mind righted and became whole again. In that moment, her anger and her beast nearly took over control. It wasn't her control; it was her fathers that she was sharing, leeching to chain her beast. He was giving her the strength she needed to stay Chase and not the vicious monster the Cabal wanted.

Henry watched Chase staring out the window, something was troubling her and it troubled Henry. He reached or the remote and cued a song they both loved; Jump in the Line by Harry Belafonte. When they had seen the movie Beetlejuice and heard that song both of them had been hooked. She turned to him and tried not to smile, but more than anything Henry wanted for the shadows darkening her eyes to abate, and he wanted for her to have some fun. Dark have been the days of late and this house, this family, needed some fun, some laughter, and more than anything they needed light. It was a new day, anything could happen.

"Come here," Henry held out his hand for Chase, waiting to see if she would take it.

"Why?"

"Because, just come here," Henry took Chase's hand and pulled her in tight to his body as he began to lightly sway to the music.

Chase smiled at him and let the music and the beat. Closing her eyes Chase moved back and forth, her hands resting on Henry's shoulders as his hands embraced her hips, pulling her closer, synching her movements to his. She knew it wasn't the time to have her defenses down, not when the hunt was on, but here with Henry she could forget all the bad, all the terrible things that happened to her.

The song switched, the beat low and sensual, and still they continued to sway. Her hips bumped his over and over. Then her lips sought his so she could taste his, fill her senses with him and further entrench herself in the small bubble they had started to create. Henry gave her more of himself, more of his lips, more of his unique taste. She needed it and she wanted it, just as she wanted him. Chase dug her claws into his shoulder, where she expected him to cry out in pain, he only growled in passion, echoing her. Taking her lips from his, Chase looked into his eyes. They were not the soft brown, but Wolf green, powerful and frightening at the same time. His animal called to hers and she responded. Chase allowed the chains slip free, her beast moved, stretched, and fit to her just beneath her skin. In that moment she was whole and the animal was free. Her teeth lengthened and her nails turned deadly as her eyes bled to the red of her inner beast, the one thing the Cabal had called forth had been the one thing that was apart of her all along.

Henry wanted Chase, her features turning primal, the animal that lurked coming foreword, and Henry had called it. Her eyes were red; canines were like that of her tiger cousins as were the nails that had grown and her hair had turned from the dark brown to a orange with black striping, all of which reflected her animal with in. He knew that his wolf was close to the surface as her animal was, but it wasn't anger or pain that called his wolf, it was passion, lust, and the love he had for her. Henry picked Chase up and set her on the table as her legs wrapped around his waist. His lips were on hers again, she tasted so sweet, so clean; she tasted of summer and rain. She was intoxicating and for now she was his. Henry let his hands go to her belt, undo it, slide it out of the loops, and he tossed it out of the way. He took his time on her jeans. The button popped open, but he slid the zipper down slow. She growled, low and deadly, and Henry ripped them from her. As he pulled them off her Chase moved from the table. She pulled her shirt over her head and then tackled his clothing. Henry wanted to restrain her hands, make her endure his pace, but her heat was flooding his system. He took a moment through the haze, to admire her body. She was encased in a black bra and black underwear. Her pale skin was no longer pale; a flush broke out over her body.

Chase knew she should stop, but her animal already had too much control and that animal wanted Henry, wanted the strength that was inside him, and Chase wanted him. She watched him watching her. Chase kicked her jeans away and walked towards him, her hands reaching for his pants. Her hands trembled slightly, but she popped the button and lowered the zipper. His arms encircled her then, pulling her heated flesh against his, and then his lips to hers. Henry lifted her again and pinned her to the wall between he windows. She could feel him hot and hard and ready. Reaching between them Chase freed him from the confines of his boxers as Henry moved aside the silken cloth of her underwear. She had a moment to tell him no, he was looking in her eyes giving her the chance, but Chase took him into her body and urged him to move.

Henry slid into her warmth, feeling her encase him, taking him in. She was heaven, his personal Eden, and she was wild. Chase's claws bit into his flesh as his claws raked the skin of her hips. He surged up, burying himself in her up to the hilt, but he didn't stay. Henry pounded into her in series of short powerful strokes. Chase was not complacent. She met him thrust for thrust as they fought for completion, for release. He took her lips again and nipped her lips, drawing blood, tasting her, merging with her. His wolf was just below the surface of his mind, stretching, growling, and taking the woman in his arms. Every thrust brought him closer and closer and he could feel Chase getting closer and closer to the edge with him.

Chase clamped her inner muscles on Henry and growled in unison with him. She gasped out as pleasure fogged her brain, raged through her blood and sped her heart rate. 'Henry' he was her only thought. His body fit well with hers and he filled her so completely. The aching in her heart slowly dissipated as Henry kissed her again; she could feel his canines scraping with hers. Chase changed the movements of her hips and tried to finish what he had started, finish them both. She needed his release; she needed her own to drive him over the edge with her. Taking her hands from his shoulders, Chase threaded them through his hair. Three more thrusts and Chase was careening over the edge of pleasure. Her inner muscles clamped down on Henry and he was following her into bliss. Before she could stop it, her beast roared, a sound of pure pleasure as the ecstasy sang through her body. She roared and Henry allowed a howl to fill his throat and out of his mouth to answer her.

Henry and Chase sank to the floor still wrapped around the other. Their breaths, gasps, and moans were the only sound floating on the air of his lab. Henry had had lovers on the past, but nothing as powerful as what he felt with chase, here, now in this moment. She was a power to be reckoned with, she power. He tried to pull away to look at her, to look into her fierce eyes, but Chase held him closer and he didn't want to let go just yet.

**NORTH TOWER:**

Helen watched John, his expression of pure joy. She had told him that she still loved him, it was true, and she did love him. Helen will always love John; he was a part of her, ingrained in her memory and on her skin. Nothing in the world would make her forget him; forget the power of his body, the strength of his kiss as his lips seduced her into the beginnings of pleasure, "John, now would be the time to say something."

"I have wanted nothing more than to hear you say you still love me. My love for you has never died, I may have forgotten the depth of that love, but now, here with you, I remember everything you were to me." John lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss filled with love and hope. Hope that she would stay with him. If she left him he would be the one to be destroyed this time.

Helen wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling his body closer and reveling in his warmth. She had been lost in a void until john had showed up, reasserted himself in her life again. He not only claimed her body again, her heart, but he was taking some of her soul this time. John was kissing her; his lips were soft and light, like he had used to kiss her.

John pulled back and smiled, really smiled at her, "I want to do…"

Helen covered his mouth with her hand. The last time he had said he would do anything to make her happy he had turned into a killer, "Don't say it… I want you as you are." Helen moved back into his body, "I want you wild, passionate, and I want you all to myself." Helen whispered, her voice low, she had no intention of taking him to her bed just yet. If he was going to burn then that was what Helen was going to do to him. Petty of her, she knew, but she deserved a little sensual revenge. Helen backed away and smiled.

"This is part of you revenge, isn't it?" John growled. He knew what she was doing. Gearing him up and then denying him, she was well within her rights to do so. He would endure until she came to him.

"Absolutely." Helen grinned wickedly and then walked out of his arms to leave her tower leaving John behind her. She knew he was simmering, his blood boiling, just as hers was. Later would be time enough to have him, right now there were more important things to take care of.

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

Helen stood by one of the windows intensely aware of John behind her. Ashley was sitting on the couch tapping her hand on her thigh. They were waiting for Chase to show, she had been absent since the scene in her office earlier. She heard John take a step closer to her, still far enough away, but close enough to whisper, "What do you think she is up to?" Helen had to contain the urge to shiver.

"Sorry I'm late, I was… busy." Chase said as she breezed through the door, and then she froze at the stares she was being given.

"What happened to you?" Ashley asked as she rose from the couch. She looked her sister up and down, from the toe of her boots, the leather pants, the black tank top, and then to Chase's hair which at the moment was fire orange and streaked with black stripes. She looked as if she was a human version of her tiger cousins.

"Do I have something on my face?" Chase asked and opened her arms. She knew how she must look, the claws and the teeth, but there had to be something else to draw the stares.

"Oh, my, you look like your Tiger cousins." John smiled and watched as Chase flexed her fingers and then hiding her hands behind her back until the claws could go away. He could see the beast in her eyes. His daughter had let loose her inner monster. She would be the perfect hunter if she lost her conscience.

"Chase what happened to you since this morning?" Helen asked and did as the other two had done; she looked her younger daughter up and down noting the differences.

"I was… trying something. I wanted to see what I could gain from releasing my… inner tiger, so to speak. And I don't know how to cage it again, but for the first time in my life, I feel whole, complete." Chase spoke and it was the truth. She had never felt like this, never. And thanks to Henry she knew that feeling now.

"If you faced Dana, could you control yourself?" Helen asked and stood in front of Chase.

"I could keep from killing her, scaring her is another matter though." Chase answered and ran her tongue over her teeth and newly grown out canines.

Helen nodded and then walked behind her desk where she brought up a view of New City with a red dot that was blinking. She had had one of her contacts get close enough to Whitcomb to put a Satellite tracker on her. Now was the time to finish things between the Cabal and the Sanctuary network, "We are going to go after Dana Whitcomb."

There was silence around her, and she knew there would be. When she looked up her gaze fixed on John first, his eyes had gone dark, deadly. It was how he had looked when she had shot him back in London. Ashley had moved closer to her father and wore a look that was a mixture of confusion and anger. She more than anyone wanted to see Dana punished. Then Helen looked at Chase, her animal features highlighted by the red glow of the sinking sun. Chase wore a hungry look; she looked as if she wanted to hunt. The malicious grin she saw on Chase's face scared Helen, it was too much like her father, when he had been the Ripper.

"How are we going to capture her?" Ashley asked, she wore a mask, but Helen knew she was troubled.

"We box her in," Helen answered and turned the computer monitor, "Ashley, you teleport here, Chase then you will cut off her retreat. Then I and your father will teleport in." Helen pointed to the designated spots where they needed to be. Ashley nodded, Chase growled, and John took Helen's hand.

"When do we leave?" Chase asked studying the satellite display.

"Right now." Helen said and looked from Ashley to Chase and back to Ashley. Both of her daughters appeared ready for what was to come.

**NEW CITY STREET:**

Dana looked around. She knew the sanctuary was just on the other side of the bridge, it was bold being so close, but she had to glimpse Chase, she had to see if Chase as battle ready. Ashley had failed, but Chase was still the wild card. But there was something following Dana, she was now the hunted and she hated the feeling. Taking a deep breath Dana slipped down a side street and stopped. Ashley Magnus stood at the end and she had a gun in her hand, "Miss me Dana?"

Dana turned to leave and ran right into Chase, "Hi, Dana." She wagged her finger at Dana and made a tsking sound. She pulled away and tried to escape down the ally but there was Druitt and Magnus.

Chase growled and stepped closer to Dana, she could smell the fear lacing the air. It was sickly sweet and Chase craved more, she wanted Dana terrified, horror singing through her blood, "Poor lost Dana, so scared, so frightened. Today is the day you're gonna die Dana." Chase growled again.

"Now, now Chase, do try to be polite." John said, deadly intent ringing in his voice.

"How about we hunt her, take to her to the jungle, let her run for her life, and just when she thinks she's safe, one of us gets her." Chase chuckled, anger and evil spilling into her tone as she took another step closer to Dana.

"Chase?" Helen asked. She could see the blood lust in her daughter's eyes and she felt fear slither up her spine. Not only was the fear for Dana but the fear was for chase. There was no telling what she would do now that her beast was free.

"I'm just having a little fun with her, getting her afraid, terrified, and generally scared." Chase smiled a wicked grin and hinted at the canines that were deadly.

"Chase stop…" Helen tried, but Chase's hand shot out and it wrapped around Dana's neck, her claws sinking into the tender flesh. Helen felt her fear spike, fear of her daughter. Never had she seen Chase like this.

Chase pulled Dana close and growled, "With a flick of my wrist I could break your neck," Dana's answer was the slights gasping of air. She could speak she couldn't do anything that resembled talking, "I would love nothing more than to kill you. Do you believe me?" Chase loosened her hold slightly so Dana could gasp out her answer.

"Yes," Dana gasped out.

Chase growled again and dropped Dana. She backed away and tried to control her breathing and her beast. Another growl rumbled low in her chest as chase brought her right hand to her mouth, the blood coating her claws. The minute Dana's blood touched her tongue she would not be able to be called off the hunt, she a hunt occur.

John walked close to his daughter and put his hand on her shoulder. Looking into her eyes he could see how far the beast had taken over. What he saw terrified him. She looked at him, and what little of his daughter remained said, "I'm sorry," it was slight whisper before her claws sank into his arm tearing deep gashes through his leather coat, the shirt, and his skin. John was sure her claws had scraped the top layer of his bone as well. Chase broke away from him and headed to Dana. Chase teleported away with a frightened Dana in her grasp leaving Ashley, Helen, and John behind.

Chase opened her eyes and roared this was where she belonged, the jungle. It called to the wild blood that flowed through her now, and it called for her to hunt Dana, the woman who started the strife in her family and mutilated not only her but her sister. Vengeance would be hers. She looked down at Dana felt calm, blood lust, calm fall over her. The ensuing hunt would do much to quell her desire.

"I would run if I was you Dana."

"You're just going to kill me, why should I make it fun for you?" She coughed and rose to her feet to stare defiantly at Chase.

"I'll give you to the count of thirty and I promise not to teleport. I was going to hunt you the old fashioned way. Your fear lacing the air, I want to hunt you by running, tracking, and scenting. So run as far and as fast as you can." Chase's voice was barely human, the animal had taken over, and it would continue to take over until Dana Whitcomb was dead.

Dana sensed the truth in Chase's words. She had hoped that he programming would come online as soon as Chase laid eyes on her again, but apparently the feline in chase had eradicated all remnants of her programming. What a shame, she would have been a great asset to the Cabal. If she could hold out long enough for the others to find them, her family would stop her and Dana could disappear, but that was provided she could survive the predator standing in front of her. Chase roared and Dana cringed, then she ran for her life.

Chase watched Dana as she ran. Pleasure washed through her as her feline hunger for blood flooded her brain. She wanted this, wanted to feel Dana's blood coat her hands as her life slowly slipped out of her. Chase moved foreword then, her steps measured and her hearing trained on the thundering sound of underbrush being rustled. Twigs snapped and more leaves rustled. Dana would be easy to track if she continued like this. Chase used her skills as a hunter and slipped quietly through the brush to track Dana. Every so often she would left loose a roar or circle wide around her prey and break a branch. With every move she took Chase could smell Dana's fear growing and it was a potent scent, she wanted more and Chase would get more before Dana was dead.

Back in new City John howled in pain as Helen probed his wound that Chase had given him. She was none to gentle about it, or it could be that his daughter had severed all the layers of skin, clear down to the bone, "Be careful." He shouted. Helen deliberately jarred his arm in retaliation.

"I did not do this to you, do not snap at me." Helen growled, her anger rising with every minute.

"Mom, what are we gonna do? How are we going to find her?" Ashley asked and looked out for people who would see them, or come to investigate the pain filled howls of her father.

"Helen, stop…"

"I need to tend your wound."

"Damnit woman stop!" John shouted and then howled in pain again when Helen gripped his wound.

"I told you not to snap at me."

"Ashley, take this, and find your sister. Stop her if you have to." John pulled off the ring he wore and held it out to his daughter, "You will need to incapacitate her. She won't be called off the hunt quietly. Be aware you may have to shoot her." John gritted his teeth, but his endorphins were kicking in dulling the pain for a shot amount of time. Ashley moved to take the ring from him when he grabbed her hand and slid the ring on one of her fingers. John then pulled her close to him and whispered, "Be careful."

Ashley backed away and felt Chase's mind on the edge of her consciousness, "How can I tell where she is at?"

"Focus on Chase, on her hate, and try and see what she see's." John said and watched as surprise flickered over Ashley's face before she teleported away.

"I'm sorry about your arm," Helen said as she came up to his side. She cupped his cheek and smiled before she placed a small kiss to his lips.

"To Sanctuary?" John smiled, a bit on the euphoric side due to the endorphins flooding his system.

"Yes, so I can patch you up." Helen wrapped her arm around his waist and waited for John to teleport them back home. She only hoped Ashley could stop her sister.

Ashley teleported to a small clearing and stilled her body to listen for signs of a hunt. When she heard rustling and snapping branches, she was off at a dead run. Hopefully she would find Chase and Dana.

Chase hid in the underbrush, her sights set on Dana who was leaned against a tree panting for breath. She had been playing with her, but now was the time for her to take care of business and protect her family from the Cabal. Moving back slowly Chase circled around and popped up in front of Dana causing her to fall back and get more dirt and leaves on her. She stalked closer and another deadly growl rumbled in her chest. This was the woman who nearly tore her family apart, for that her death was a sure thing, and it would be dealt out by Chase. She was the strong one, the only one capable of killing Dana and not feel sorry about it.

"I told you, you were going to die today Dana." Chase glowered.

"You don't have to do this, we fix you if you…" Dana pleaded, hoping to appeal to the human side of Chase.

"No! I am who I am!" Chase shouted and raised her clawed hand, her intent to strike.

"Chase! Stop!" Ashley shouted. Chase looked up and froze.

"Go home," Chase growled," She's mine."

"Chase there is a better way, you can't kill her." Ashley pleaded but put her hand over her gun just incase. She could feel the anger, rage, and pain floating through her sister. There was o much hate that it was clogging Ashley's mind and she might not do what needed to be done to contain her sister and the monster she had turned into. Ashley removed the ring and shoved it back into her pocket. She felt better not being choked by all of Chase's hate.

Chase turned away from Dana and faced Ashley. Her sister didn't understand what she was doing; Chase had to kill Dana, to contain the threat to the family. She was the only one strong enough to do it. If she had to fight Ashley then Chase would take her sister on, if only it meant she could kill Dana her own way.

"Go home…"

"No, we can go home together. Let mom deal with her." Ashley steadied her hand over her weapon and she knew Chase had noticed. She heard a growl leak through chase's lips and instant before she tried to rush Ashley. Pure instinct had Ashley pulling her weapon and firing to shots into chase's chest. They were not killing shots, just in the right place to incapacitate her, nothing more.

Ashley had enough time to turn ad face Dana, who had come up behind her. It looked to Ashley, as she would tell her mother later, that Dana had a gun. Ashley removed her knife and shoved it between Dana's third and fourth ribs, where he twisted and pierced her heart. Dana Whitcomb was dead before she even hit the jungle floor.

Ashley crouched down over her sister and noticed that her hair had gone back to brown and the deadly claws had receded into nails once again. She only hoped that her eyes were the same clear crystal blue that they used to be. Ashley cupped the back of Chase's neck and teleported the home.

Helen had just finished the last of John stitches. He hadn't growled or cried out in pain, but she still felt a little uneasy about shoving her fingers into his wound when they had been in the ally. Slowly she wrapped the gauze around his arm and made sure it was tight but not too tight as to cut off circulation. Every so often he would flinch, but no cries of pain, "There you are, all done."

John sighed and made a fist with his left hand. The muscles tensed and pain ricocheted up his arm and back down, "Thank you," John whispered and leaned his head back to touch the pillow's. It would be a few days before the wound was fully closed and the stitches could be removed. Before Helen could move away he reached out to her with his right hand and gripped hers. He pulled her down so she was sitting beside him. Helen leaned over him and kissed him softly.

"Mom…"

Helen pulled back to look at Ashley and saw that she was crouch be the unconscious form of her sister. She was off the gurney and to Chase's side in a flash. Helen checked vitals, pulse, and heart rate. Everything was with in the norms, well as normal as Chase could be, "Ashley, did you have to shoot her?"

"I tranqued her mom, there is a difference. I already killed my sister once, I wasn't so eager to do it again." Ashley said and moved out of her mother's way and over to her father where she handed him back his ring, his one link to Chase. She knew he needed it back.

"Did she...?" John started to ask.

"No, she didn't. I did." Ashley whispered and lowered her head. If her mother asked she would tell her that Dana rushed her and something else. Ashley had yet to put all the pieces together yet. Mainly she had been worried about Chase, and the monster she saw in her sisters eyes. For a second she thought about using bullets on Chase, but that was only for a moment. Ashley only hoped that when Chase woke up she wouldn't remember a thing.


	12. Chapter 12

Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.

Pairing: This is a John/Helen story

**THREE DAYS LATER:**

Helen leaned against the wall looking out the window in her room. She had her robe secured around her while John still slumbered in her bed. The radiant red dawn light spilled into her room, but all Helen could think of was Chase. When her daughter had come to she had asked to be locked in the SHU. Helen had argued but Chase had been adamant, she didn't want to hurt them, she didn't want to hurt anyone. Instead Helen had secured Chase in her room with an EM bubble to keep her from teleporting away. So far Chase had stayed where she was, despite the easy escape her balcony provided. Everyone was at loss as what to do for Chase, but business had to continue, the Sanctuary had to function. If Chase saw fit to lock herself away to protect them, Helen understood, but she didn't like it. John had even tried coaxing her out, tried to help her but she had thrown something heavy at the door and yelled for him to leave. Helen had been with him; saw the hurt pass over his face. She had laid a hand on his shoulder but he only shrugged it off and left. Knowing his daughter was in pain and knowing that she didn't want his help was hurting John, Helen could see it. She had tried to comfort him, but he hadn't let her until last night. His anger had been riding his mind as he made passionate love to her. She could still feel his skin on her hers and his lips ravaging her mouth.

Helen turned back to stare at John, the covers bunched around his waist, his right arm over his head, and his left arm draped over his abs. He looked contented in sleep, and she was content to stare, always she stared at him in sleep. It was the only time she could truly try and understand the man who had claimed her heart, the man who had given her two wonderful daughters, and he was the man she loved like no other. Since he had come back into her life Helen had watched as John was closer to Chase than he was to Ashley, but Helen hoped the more time he spent here, the more Ashley would get to know him as her father. She tuned back to survey the view from her window, so many thoughts careened in her brain, thoughts of Chase, of how to help her. Ashley, and the account she gave, whispered through her mind. She had said that Dana rushed her and she had no choice, more instinct really, that had her taking Dana's life. Secretly Helen hadn't minded when Ashley had told her that Dana was dead. It was a relief to hear and a relief to know that Dana Whitcomb would not come back to haunt them.

"Helen?"

She turned back to John and smiled. He held out his right hand to her. Helen went to him and curled back into his side, sighing as she did so. John had been her haven once, and he was once again, "I'm just worried about Chase and Ashley. Chase seems more animalistic than when she was a child," Helen mused out loud and that was when she felt John's body stiffen.

"John?" Helen asked and positioned herself so she was looking down at him. He knew something that he was not telling.

"I never told you that my family was rife with abnormals. This curse skips a generation, which makes my family known for rage and impulsive behavior," John sat up and turned his back on Helen, he could not bear to tell this while she was scrutinizing him, "My grandfather and I have one thing in common, we were both killers due to the rage we inherited, my great grand father and father were the animals that resides with in our daughter. I joined the five to try and become like them, tried to bring out my abnormal nature. Never did I think I pass this on to my children."

Helen wrapped her arms around John and digested the information about John's family. She knew that he wasn't to blame. Whatever the Cabal had done made Chase more of an animal than when she had been as a child. In an attempt to comfort him Helen placed light kisses to his shoulder. She didn't know what to say. What could she say?

**CHASE'S ROOM:**

Chase sat on the railing of her balcony letting all her thoughts careen through her mind. She had hunted Dana and nearly killed her, she would have enjoyed it and she knew she would have. There would have been nothing to call her off the hunt had Ashley not shown up, and even then her sister had to shoot her just to stop her. If Ashley had hesitated even for a moment Chase would have attacked her and then finished off Dana. Chase would have attacked Ashley; her own sister. She was becoming too dangerous to be kept within the walls of Sanctuary, and Chase knew it. The only thing keeping her here was her fear of leaving and killing someone and it was what kept her locked in her room, starving herself, making herself go with out the contact of her family and Henry. She didn't want to hurt them; she didn't want to hurt anyone.

Ashley had tried to coax her out and get her to talk. Chase only threw something against the door and roared for her sister to leave. Chase did the same thing with her father when he had tried to talk to her. Will had even tried and failed. She just wanted to be alone. It was hard to believe that she had been in seclusion for only three days. Often she had felt her beast stirring, but Chase beat it back, pain rippling through her body each time. The tigress in her tried to reassert control but with Chase in her right mind it wasn't so easy. Another thing Chase feared was her loss of concentration, her beast breaking free and that would lead to the possible harm to her family.

"Chase? It's Ashley, can I come in?" Ashley's voice filtered through the door and out to Chase on the balcony. She turned and let out a fierce roar, hoping her sister would leave.

"If you don't let me in then I am coming in one way or the other." Ashley warmed, and that caused Chase to roar again. She didn't want Ashley to come in here.

"FINE! Can't say I didn't warn you," Ashley shouted moments before the door opened. There she saw her sister perched on the railing with her back to the room. Ashley gone to her mom several times to get her to intervene, but she had told Ashley to be patient and that Chase would come out when she was ready. Ashley, however, was not a patient person and her sister was hurting.

"Ashley, go away," Chase growled baring her teeth.

"No," Ashley hopped up next to Chase and looked at Chase's profile.

"Please, I don't want to hurt you," Chase pleaded. She could feel the anger rising, the beast stretching, and Chase had to grit her teeth to keep from shouting.

"Come on, if wouldn't let you die, what makes you think I will let you lock yourself in here until you starve." Ashley stated.

"It would have been better if you had let me die," Chase muttered and jumped off the railing to stalk back into her room; Ashley hot on her heels.

"No, I told you then and I'm telling you now, Together Forever." Ashley put her hand on Chase's shoulder and turned her so she was facing Ashley. She knew she was more than a match for her sister and she could sense a fight was brewing.

**HELEN'S ROOM:**

Helen had her arms wrapped around John and tried to think of something to say. He was taking more blame than was truly his in Chase's case. There was no way John could have controlled what abilities he past to his children, but he could have told her about the abnormality that skipped a generation. It would go so far as to explain why he had always had a temper, the temper of an animal. Even when he was raging Helen had known when to turn is anger to lust, and it made him a powerfully passionate lover.

"This isn't your fault; you couldn't have known that…"

"But I should have, I should have done…" John trailed off and turned in Helen's embrace. There, reflected in her eyes, he saw pain and a need to heal their daughter, both of them. Rather than say anything more, John leaned his forehead to Helen's. He couldn't find the words to covey the guilt he felt in what was happening to Chase. His blood, his family cursed his daughters. How was he not the one to blame? He blamed himself and so should Helen, but she wouldn't and he knew that.

"There was no way for you to prevent this," Helen pulled back and looked into John's eyes willing him to believe her, "It would have happened anyway."

"Helen…"

"John I want you to listen to me. Had things between us happened differently, our daughters would have still ended up with…"

"My curse," John finished.

Helen sighed and wrapped her arms more securely around John. He needed the reassurance of her body to his. John coiled his arms around Helen and let her comfort him for a short time. Today, if he could, he would get Chase to talk to him. But Helen tried to take his mind off of it; she angled her head and rested her lips to his, another attempt to comfort him, and John accepted. He put everything else out of his mind and focused on Helen, her lips, and her body in his arms.

John moved so Helen was lying on her back with him cradled between her parted thighs. His lips caressed over hers and swallowed her moans of pleasure. Her hands rested on his back, fingers digging into his skin. John knew she needed the contact as much as he did. He levered himself up on his forearms taking some of his weight off of her so Helen could loosen the tie on her robe. His need for her grew with every kiss, every caress, and swallowed moan John took from her. Her heart beat in time with his, he could feel against his chest and through her thin robe. It was her heart that he had wanted above all others, her love, and her body; always her body. John needed Helen, she was the one person who made him feel sane, and now he felt like a man, not a monster, but he was a man. He was Helen's man and for however long he lived, he would try to remain just that.

Helen moved her right hand from John's back and used it to undo the front of her robe. She wanted to feel he glide of his skin and she wanted him to warm her. The first contact of his abdomen to hers had fire racing through her blood. Helen shifted and accepted him into her body. He slipped in easily and Helen gasped, arching her back, and digging her fingers into John's back. She needed him, needed him like the air in her lungs, only now did Helen realize that. Helen hitched her knee higher on John's hip, driving him deeper as he pumped slowly into her, so agonizingly slow. She could feel every nerve ending as John glided in and out. Pleasure addled her brain and moans of ecstasy slipped from her parted lips and into John who drank down her cries with heated kiss. She would not have to endure much friction. John's thrusts were becoming short and powerful. Helen opened her eyes and locked gazes with him, and she saw love reflected in his blue depths.

John felt Helen's flesh heating, her breathing coming in gasps. His release was near, but he held himself at bay until Helen came first. He could already feel her inner muscles contracting, clamping down on him, and keeping him locked inside her. John braced his hands on either side of Helen, raising himself up; he was able to gain more power in his thrusts so he could send them over the edge, spiraling into pleasure.

Helen placed her right hand over his heart and tossed her left arm over his shoulder as she arched her back as her pleasure built until it exploded sending sparks through her nerve endings and stars exploded behind her eyelids. John always made her feel this way. He gave her the feeling of having a supernova of pleasure explode through her. She sank back down into the mattress and felt has he settled more fully on her, his strength sapped just as hers was. But he did not stay where he was; John slid lower placing kisses down the side of her neck, over her collar bone, and just above her heart. He did that when they had been in the desert and every time since. She tried to get her heart to still, but John made it soar with happiness, a happiness that should have been hers all along. Fate had a way of getting what it wanted. Back then was not the time for their love even though it had started there, but in this century it could flourish, and Helen had every intention of letting it.

**CHASE'S ROOM:**

Chase had stopped trying to get Ashley to leave; her sister wasn't listening anyway, instead she crumpled to the floor and looked at nothing, opting to lie on her side and try to drown everything out, make the world fade away. She was trying to ignore the steady growls and hisses emanating in her mind from her beast. Before she had been taken by the Cabal Chase and her beast worked in harmony, it was heard and it lusts were fulfilled, but now after what the Cabal did she wasn't so sure she could ever be whole. When she had hunted Dana, it was the beast and not chase that had ruled. She was a vicious monster who deserved to die. Chase would have hurt her own sister.

Ashley looked at Chase lying on the floor. It hurt her heart to think that he sister could be so defeated. She sank down, mirroring Chase, so she could hopefully turn her sister out of her dark thoughts and to try and bring back the smiling happy woman she was. Ashley reached out her hand and caressed her hand down the side of her sister's face and there she saw a single tear fall, "Come one Chase you have to get up, please get up."

Ashley kept staring as she watched more tears fall from her sister's vibrant blue eyes, "We aren't supposed to end this way Chase…" Still her sister did not move. Chase just stared off at nothing; her eyes had gone flat, no longer shedding tears. She looked dead, but she still drew breath.

"I didn't kill Dana to watch you waste away on your own floor. Now get up!" Ashley shouted as she rose to her feet to tower over her sister. Pleading wasn't working, yelling wasn't working. She had to try something else. Going over to the wall she deactivated the EM bubble. If Chase was going to be deaf then Ashley would have to be drastic with her to get her to come back from the abyss on which she was teetering.

She came back to stand over her sister and said, "Fine, we'll do this the hard way." Ashley leaned over Chase and fisted her hand in her sisters hair as she teleported them away.

When Ashley drew her next breath they appeared in the same part of the forest where Dana had been hunted and where Ashley had taken her life. Ashley let go of Chase and put her foot into her sister's side, "Get up!"

Chase snarled, but remained on the ground. Her control was wearing thin and this was the last place on Earth where she wanted to be. Ashley kicked her again, and again, and again. The third time had Chase on her feet growling and snapping at Ashley, "What?!"

"This has to stop. Your moping and sulking is doing you no good, and frankly it is a little pathetic," Ashley braced her hands on her hips and continued infusing as much anger into her one as she could, "You weren't the only one who was tortured by Dana and the Cabal," Ashley stopped as Chase charged. She stepped aside and tripped Chase.

Chase growled, felt her canines lengthen, claws extend, and her feline stretch. If her sister wanted a fight, then Ashley would get one. As much as she didn't want to hurt Ashley, she wanted to get Ashley to leave her alone. Maybe knocking her unconscious would do some good, "I told you to leave me alone."

"Can't do that, I'm your sister," Ashley smiled sarcastically.

Chase made a move to charge, but stopped and looked at her hands. She looked like the monster the Cabal wanted. Her breathing hitched and she sank to her knees, "I don't want to be like this!"

Ashley felt her heart break a little as she watched Chase break down. She went over to her sister and pulled Chase into her arms. Ashley flinched as her claws bit into her skin, but still kept her baby sister in her arms, "I know, but maybe you have to find a balance between you and your other nature."

"How?"

"Well, I'm sure if you came out of you room, mom could help you." Ashley rested her jaw on top of Chase's head, rocked back and forth, and was thankful that she didn't have to beat her sister to a bloody pulp.

Chase pulled back and looked around. This was where she had hunted Dana, and where she would have taken her life. She shook her head and felt more of her animal integrate into her mind. Only this time it wasn't trying to take control, it was only breaking the final drug forged chains. Her animal stretched and filled the parts of her that had become hollow. The claws receded and her canines shorted, but not back to a normal length. This was how she felt after James had taught her to work with her abnormal nature.

"Should I even ask how you're feeling?" Ashley asked.

"I think I'm well on my way to being normal." Chase laughed and held out her hand to her sister.

"Sorry I kicked you," Ashley smiled and took Chase's hand.

"Sorry I was pathetic," Chase responded and together they went home.

**SANCTUARY:**

John had gotten dressed while Helen was in the shower. He wanted to check on Chase. But when he knocked on her door he was greeted with silence. Opening the door John found it empty. Chase wasn't on the balcony, she wasn't curled up on the bed, and she wasn't in one of the corners. Her room was just empty. John had a moment to panic when he felt the air shift. Turning he saw Chase and Ashley, hand in hand, smiling. Chase was actually smiling, moving around, and not looking like a shade. He moved over to her and instinctively pulling Chase into his arms so he could hold his daughter. John pulled back and cupped chase's face, "Why is there dirt on your face?" He asked.

"Ashley… saw fit to kick my ass somewhat. Which mind you worked, and here I am all mentally stable and what not." Chase heaved a sigh and smiled again as her father pulled her into his arms.

John was just happy that Chase was herself again. She was smiling and being alive, "I'm just glad that you are back."

Chase pulled back form her father, as much as she liked I when he was holding her, she had to breathe. Her father had been rocky in the beginning on how to deal with her, but he had gotten better, and he had turned into the father he should have been, "Really I'm fine."

John backed away. He knew she was, but he just needed the reassurance, and then he turned to Ashley; she merely nodded to him like she did when they had been in Rome. It was a moment, but all he needed to pull Ashley into his arms and hold her the way he had held Chase. He was a father embracing his daughter.

Ashley stiffened but relaxed quickly. That old ache for a father crept into her heart and it had her wrapping his arms around him. He was her father and he had come back, stayed, and fought to bring her back. There was a part of her that she got from him, a dark part, but it was that darkness that made her the fighter she was. This was her family, and her father was apart of that now. Ashley closed her eyes and felt love pour into her heart for her father. This was the first time she had felt anything for him. It started when she had seen him being a father with Chase in the Infirmary and Ashley had wanted the same treatment; she wanted her father's love and now she had it, "Dad," Ashley pulled back and she knew that she had tears in her eyes. He cupped her face and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears before pulling her back into his arms.

John could see the first stirrings of acceptance in Ashley's eyes. She was starting to accept that he was her father. He had wanted her to look at him as her father, not the enemy, not an insane killer. John was her father and that was how he wanted to be perceived. He hoped that the more time he spent around Ashley; the more comfortable she would be with him. All of this would take time and patience, patience he hadn't needed in a long time.

Chase watched her father and sister actually being Father and Daughter. It made her smile and even more content. She took a deep breath and drew in all the scents of the room, and it was then that she smelled her mother, but Helen Magnus was not in the room, no, her scent was all over her father. She hadn't noticed it before because she had been suppressing the animal nature, but now it assaulted her senses.

**HELEN'S ROOM:**

Helen walked out of her bathroom to find John missing. The bed was still rumpled and there were still faint traces of their lust floating on the air. It bought a smile to her face as she crossed to the dresser and proceeded to get dressed. Before going to the Lab she wanted to stop by and check on Chase.

She finished dressing and tried to push out of her mind the feeling of John's flesh on hers. He branded her his, branded her craving his skin, the contact and the pleasure that came from joining. Helen shook her head and left her room behind to head to Chase's. It was there that she saw John embracing Ashley and Chase wore a look of confusion.

"Chase?" Helen made her name a question. Her voice filled the silent room as John and Ashley pulled back to look at her. Ashley had tears in her eyes. John looked happier than he had been with her and Chase only smiled.

"Hi, just me, all mentally stable and…" Chase trailed off as Helen moved to stand in front of her.

Helen couldn't believe it. Chase was up and moving around after three days of sulking and near catatonia. But something about her appearance was wrong. Chase's hair was that odd orange laced with black, her eyes swirled between red and blue, and she could see the faintest hint of the elongated canines. But her daughter was acting like herself and not like the animal she had been only three days before.

"Do I have something on my face other than dirt?"

"No, just… I've never seen you look more beautiful." Helen whispered and pulled Chase into her arms.

"Really?" Chase asked as she drew in her mothers scent. It was then that she smelled traces of her father. Chase backed away and looked from her father to her mother. She laughed and laughed and laughed. Her father had once told her that they were at odds due to the monster he had been. But all evidence points to the fact that they had overcome the odds. Chase covered her mouth with her hands and tried to contain her laughter with all of them looking at her. As much as she hated having the thought it was there none the less. Her parents were sharing the same bed, and that thought made her laugh.

"Are you sure you're mentally stable?" Ashley asked.

Chase shook her head and then said, "I'm sane, well as sane as someone could be in this family."

"So, the laughing was….?" Ashley shrugged.

"A realization of sorts. We're gonna be ok, our family is going to be ok." Chase locked her eyes with her father and smiled sweetly This was her family, her home, and her reason for living, "Give me ten minutes and then meet me on the North Tower." Chase hurried out of her room and down to the kitchen.

**NORTH TOWER:**

Chase walked through the door leading to the top of the North Tower carrying four Champagne flutes. For everything that happened over the last month, and for the trials that they endured as a family, a toast should be made. Ashley had been rescued and Chase was learning to finally a whole life. She handed a glass to the three of them and then turned out to look at the scenery, "I had this colorful speech planned in my head, words I wanted to convey to three of you, but as I stand here looking out at the city all my words are gone." Chase turned to look at her family and raised her glass.

"Here's to a sister rescued." Chase smiled at Ashley.

"A daughter come home," Helen said and raised her glass as well.

"A father taking his place," Ashley arched a brow and stood next to Chase with her glass.

John chuckled lightly, raised his glass and said, "Here's to a reunited family."

Chase lightly clinked her glass with Ashley's and they both watched as their parents did the same. She marveled at the depth of love she saw reflected in their eyes. Truly they were a family reunited and by the gods they would stay that way. Even though they took out one of the key members of the Cabal, the actual Cabal could still come after them. If times remained true then dark days were a head, but this family would come out on top.

Chase leaned her head on Ashley's shoulder as she said, "You know what we could use?"

"What?" Ashley asked and smiled when her parents looked over at them

"We could use a family vacation. I here Baja is nice this time of year." Chase chuckled.

**2 WEEKS LATER:**

The sun was high in the afternoon sky, a gently breeze came off the ocean. Waves beat a concussion against the shore, as the faint steel drum music danced on the air. Chase stood in the door way to her bungalow and breathed deep. She let the scenery wash over her and felt relaxed. Chase took a step out onto the rapidly heating sand, out into the sun, and smiled. The wind swirled around her, tangling the maroon sarong around her legs as she slipped a purple tank top over her blue bikini top. Ashley was already at the table having breakfast while their parents were walking though the surf. Two weeks they had been in Baja and the world seemed so far away. But their parents were in a world all to themselves. In the two weeks they had been on the Island the four of them barely spent time together. Chase would be hiking in the jungle or she would be surfing when swells were the best. Ashley would be reading or sunning on the beach, and their parents. Well, Chase didn't want to think about what they could be doing because it would inadvertently give her nightmares. She was just happy to be with her family, being in paradise, and having love surrounding her once more.

"Would you look at them…?" Ashley started to say.

"I think they look kinda sweet together."

"That is not sweet, that is weird. He nearly fed me to a giant iguana."

"Come on Ash that was like what, nearly a year ago?" Chase asked and reached for a carafe of juice. She poured herself a generous glass full and sat back to watch her parents. They were holding hands and letting the wave's crash over their feet.

Helen looked towards the heavens as another wave crashed over her feet. She and John had waked the small stretch of beach together since dawn. They said so much and then said so little. At first she wasn't so sure a vacation is what they needed, but after being here for a few days, things had started to lighten. The stress she had felt for the past seven months had finally dissolved as she had nothing to do but lie around, walk in the sun, and make love with John. In the end she admitted that coming here was a good idea. It was a renewal, a way to revitalize her mind and her soul.

Helen stopped and turned to John, looking him up and down. He had dressed this morning in loose black cotton pants and a loose fitting white cotton shirt that was billowing in the breeze. Helen knew that her own clothes mirrored his; she wore a black sarong with gold tropical flowers and a black tank top. They both wore a lot of black, too much it seemed sometimes. John smiled at her and cupped her face as he leaned down to brush his lips over hers. He ran his hands down her arms and linked their hands together. Helen had a moment to wonder what he was doing when he backed into the water, the warm crystal clear blue waves. She was going to protest when a wave broke over them, soaking them instantly. Helen and John broke the surface laughing. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as the waves carried them out further.

"This is my paradise," John whispered.

"Mine too, you're my heaven," Helen responded and kissed him again as she felt the heat rise. Their passion for the other would never die; that much Helen knew, and she loved it, she loved John, and she loved the new life they had been given. He was going to be staying at Sanctuary, working with them, and warming her bed. Life was good for the moment. But something dark and sinister whispered in Helen's mind that there was danger on the horizon and that she shouldn't get too comfortable.

Ashley and Chase watched from the porch where breakfast had been set up, they were laughing at their parents. They needed the vacation just as much as they had. So many things had happened and so many things had yet to happen. Chase could feel even ore danger on the horizon, but for now they were in paradise and being a family. She reached her hand over and rested it over Ashley's.

"I've got to say this was a great idea." Chase mused watching her parents in the water.

"Yeah it was Chase, I've never felt better. But I can't wait to get home and start taking out the rest of the Cabal before they come after us." Ashley stated. She removed her hand and walked back into the bungalow leaving chase alone on the deck watching her parents in the water. They were far enough away and out in the water that all Chase could see was them close together swaying in the waves. She got out of her chair and walked out on to the beach in the opposite direction of her parents. The wind was light, carrying the smells of the island to cocoon her, the waves were warm as the crashed over her feet, and the sun beat down on her. All in all, not a bad day to spend in paradise.

Chase was glad that her mother owned the private beach. She had had a good size bungalow built that afforded relative privacy even though they were living in the same place. At moments thought Chase changed direction and headed into the trees. She listened to all the birds and all the other life this tropical jungle had to offer. The scent of fruit filled her nostrils as well as the scent of stranger, and intruder. Chase tensed instantly but kept moving in deeper and deeper into the trees. Whoever was following her would get a nasty surprise.

"Surprised to see me, luv?"

Chase whirled around and laid eyes on a man she had not expected to see, "What are you doing here?"

"Did you really never think that I would find you, Chase?" Jax asked.

"I thought you were dead, Jax I really did." Chase backed up against a tree as his hand shot out around her throat.

"You left me behind." He growled, his eyes bled red and his canines elongated, "Now, you are going to pay. Not now mind you, but I will take your world apart piece by piece." Jax hissed and let go of her to hurry off into the dense trees before Chase could come to her senses.

Chase drew in a ragged gasp surveying the landscape. If Jax held true, he would wait seven days before putting his plans into motion. He always liked the number seven. At most she would have a buffer of three days to make her escape. Chase shook her head at that. No, the old chase would have run, but now she had her family. They would stand with her no matter what skeletons were lurking in her closet. But what would she tell them? Would she tell them that James Watson, beloved friend and colleague, made her a thief? Or would she tell them that she had been used by the Cabal as an assassin, two man tactical unit that did high level hits? She had met Jax through James Watson; he was another feline abnormal like her only his DNA resembled that of a lion. Then they had gone to South America at her mother's request. That was when the Cabal had gotten them and turned them into the things they had tried to fight for years. Whatever she would tell them would have to wait, paradise was all around her and things would be settled. Hopefully the way things went down; Jax would die and truly be out of her life forever.

A/N: This is now complete. Please watch for the sequel; HEALING A BRAKON SOUL.


End file.
